Click below for image from class.

I blacked-out some of the article for copyright purposes (we are using this for our classroom, so it falls under fair use, but I cannot publish a full copy).

We are annotating Michael Lewis’s "Cross-Buying" over the weekend.  As you read over the article, pay attention to any parts you find interesting, while concentrating on the author’s voice (T-DIDLS).  When you come across an interesting word or phrase, ask yourself what it does for the author’s argument.  Here are a few questions to get you started:

• In the first paragraph, Lewis makes several seemingly contradictory statements. Identify these. Why does he use this juxtaposition, and what assumptions does he want to dispel? What further questions does this raise?
• What descriptors is Lewis using for each gender? What are the general connotations, and what can you infer about his use of stereotypes?
• In paragraph three, we have "low, juvenile instincts," "exploding word bombs," and "people diving for cover." What gender is the preceding, unidentified "anyone"? How do you surmise this?
• How does the author’s use of parenthetical and dashed asides contribute to the overall tone of the piece?
• There is a shift in syntax and imagery from paragraph four to paragraph five. it hinges on the author’s use of asyndeton. How does this further his argument?

You don’t need to write out the answers to these questions; they are merely here to help you get started. We’ll discuss these and more in class on Monday.  If you want to record your thoughts, I suggest using your journal.

From the vault

Over the next few days I’ll be resurrecting some old posts from last year to supplement our lectures.

[Lame.  I posted the wrong old one before.]

Okay, not really. Connotation and denotation. These are important not only because they are vital to metaphors, metonymy, and such, but because they are fairly simple terms and can make a world of difference in an essay.

The DENOTATION of a word is the literal dictionary definition of a word. (Quick mnemonic: denotation and definition both begin with "de." Add "dictionary" to the mix and they all start with "d." Big D little d what begins with d? Dr Seuss, anyone? No? Moving on…)

Anyway, the CONNOTATION of a word is the meaning implied or suggested by the word and its CONtext (the words that surround it). That’s it. The difficulty comes when we must learn to recognize these terms in their various incarnations. But don’t worry, I have examples!

The name of the rock band Rage Against the Machine plays on the word "machine." In this case, "machine" can mean numerous things, but I’ll take a stab at it: "the Man," "the government," "major corporations," "major industries." . . . Well, I think I hit all of those when I said "the man." This is an example of METONYMY, where something associated with another thing is used to name the first.  It’s easier to imagine a METaphor (another mnemonic) for a piece of something.

Following the previous example, Fiona Apple’s latest (to my knowledge) album, Extraordinary Machine contains the same word (machine), but in this case she uses it proudly to name herself. One could say in an essay, "While it may seem odd that Apple describes herself as a ‘machine,’ within the album the word connotes a sense of power and resilience. She gets knocked down, but as the metaphor implies, she keeps moving forward with ‘extraordinary’ mechanistic ability."

"Zoot Suit Riot" is a famous swing song by the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Gesundheit. The title refers to battles between the "Zoot Suiters" and sailors in California during WWII. As with "machine" earlier, while the word’s denotation points to an article of clothing, the connotation and context (clothes can’t riot. At least not when you’re in the room…) refer to the people wearing them. Aww… sneaky metonymy.

Enough of the music examples. Here is one from literature:

Art is the antidote that can call us back from the edge of numbness, restoring the ability to feel for another.

—Barbara Kingsolver, High Tide in Tuscon

Now. Why does she choose the word "antidote"? The denotation of this word elicits medicine—a cure. This is emphasized by her use of "restoring" later in the sentence. I now know that she wants to convey the idea that our "ability to feel for one another" is sick (it is not as it should be), and that art can help that. By drawing out the metaphor of a sick ability to feel, she piles her reader with meaning. Our thoughts go back through experiences with medicine, with connections to the sick, and with art and its palliative power. All by choosing her words carefully.

Take a look at The Decemberists song "The Infanta" from their album Picaresque. The artists use words that may be unfamiliar to the listener, words like "palanquin," "standards" (meaning flags denoting position and duty), and "phalanx." How does this help the "feel" of the piece? Again, we find DICTION and TONE inextricably combined.

Stay tuned for the next part in this series: "The Wizard of ID or, Imagery and Detail in Your Everyday Write."

As a quick review of today’s discussion, here are the main points we covered:

• T-DIDLS sounds funny
• Diction is the author’s choice of words; an author can make a short piece more meaningful than a long one just by choosing cool/more specific words.
• Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word; it is the word’s literal meaning.
• Connotation is what the context says about the word; it is what the word implies.
• Slang, colloquial language, and jargon are used in a persuasive setting to connect with an audience.  Using them can be risky, though; an author will secure a bond with his or her audience as often as he or she severs it.
• Slang words are words used in everyday conversation, never in academic or formal writing. They add flava to our speech, but send the wrong message when used improperly. (Did I get away with “flava”? I can use that, right?  Proper/improper?)
• Colloquialisms are tied to a geographical location. It is often easy to tell where someone lives (even if they don’t have a noticeable accent) by the phrases and words they use.  They make up the grey areas between different dialects of the same language.
• Jargon makes sense only if you are part of the group to which the piece is written. Unless you bone up on the topic. Then you’re kind of part of the group. So, it only makes sense if you are part of the group to which the piece is written.

While it turns out that Richard Nixon’s "surfer" flub was not actually recorded, I thought I’d share the other video I mentioned.  Here, Jay-Z is asked about an obscure song he wrote in 2006.  Mayor Bloomberg steps in, quoting the title.  While this has little to do with "diction," it does run parallel to the fact that if you seem to have little in common with your audience, a nod to their culture goes a long way.  This is precisely how jargon or colloquialisms (sometimes slang) can be a bridge between you and your audience.  This falls under the ETHOS category, but we’ll talk more about that soon.

Remember to bring an article to class tomorrow for discussion.

NPR story about a Kansas man earning money for his political campaign using an online comic rife with "geek" references.  Link to the comic on the left of the article.

What does this mean?  Sure, he’s raised the money, but the article notes that "about 90  percent of his donations came from out-of-state contributors through PayPal."  Those donations do not translate into votes.  What do you think of the comic?

This is really cool.  Images of citizens posted around the community.  Better than billboards?  Probably.  But what’s the point? via NPR

More technology and urban planning.  Text to vote for new business. Gothamist Story

From PopRally, "a program of events at The Museum of Modern Art and P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center," comes an exhibition of political works of art from the JustSeeds Visual Resistance Artists’ Co-op.    [If you find something cool, post a direct link in the comments.  I haven’t been able to look through all of the works.  Although this one from the front page is fantastic.  How does the background image affect the message? What about the color and quality of the background image?] Original story via Gothamist Story.

Slate article on one group’s protest of the movie Tropic Thunder.

Again from Slate, this time a video analysis of the McCain/Obama commercials.  [Anyone know what the title of the article is alluding to?  Why would they call it that?]