Diction Flashcards
Agency
In a dramatistic pentad created by a speaker or writer in order to invent material, the words the speaker or writer uses to describe the means by which something happened or happens in a particular situation. Agency (means), which is associated with the person or the organization that committed the deed and answers the question “how?”, implies a pragmatic point of view.
Ex: “As a general rule, any object capable of breaking down at the moment when it is most needed will do so. The automobile is typical of the category.” (Russell Baker)
Act
In a dramatistic pentad created by a speaker or writer in order to invent material, the words the speaker or writer uses to describe what happened or happens in a particular situation. Act, which answers “what?”, and is related to realism and dramatic action verbs.
Ex: “With the cunning typical of its breed, the automobile never breaks down while entering a filling station with a large staff of idle mechanics. It waits…” (Russell Baker)
Agent
In a dramatistic pentad created by a speaker or writer in order to invent material, the words the speaker uses to describe the person or persons involved in taking action in a particular situation. Agent, which answers the question “by whom?”, reflects the world view of philosophical idealism.
Ex: “Thus [the automobile] creates maximum misery, inconvenience, frustration, and irritability among its human cargo, thereby reducing its owner’s life span.” (Russell Baker)
Anecote
A brief narrative offered in a text to capture the audience’s attention or to support a generalization of claim.
Ex: “A good man, gray on the edges, an assistant manager in a brown starched and ironed uniform, is washing the glass windows of the store…Good night, m’ijo! he tells a young boy coming out after playing the video game…” (Dagoberto Gilb)
Compound Sentence
A sentence with two or more independent clauses.
Ex: Canada is a rich country, but it still has many poor people.
Conclusion (Syllogism)
The ultimate point or generalization that a syllogism expresses.
Ex: All mortals die. All men are mortals. All men die.
Contraction
The combination of two words into one by eliminating one or more sounds and indicating the omission with an apostrophe.
Ex: “Do not” becomes “don’t.” “Should have” becomes “should’ve.”
Contraries
Opposites, or things which can’t be at the same time. Also used to highlight the fact that if something is good or true, then it’s contrary must be bad or untrue.
Ex: The book is red. The book is not green. If the book is read, then the book is not green. If the book is not red, then the book may be green.
Data (As evidence)
Facts, statistics, and examples that a speaker or writer offers in support of a claim, generalization, or conclusion.
Ex: Conserve electricity. 42% of America’s carbon dioxide emissions come from electricity generation.
Deductive Reasoning
Reasoning that begins with a general principle and concludes with a specific instance that demonstrates the general principle.
Ex: “Gravity makes things fall. The apple that hit my head was due to gravity.”
Delivery
The presentation and format of a composition.
Ex: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, is formatted by chapters, which either present general information about farmers or the specific story of Joe and his family.
Editing
The final observation, before delivery, by a writer or speaker of a composition to evaluate appropriateness and to locate missteps in the work.
Ex: For process papers, I edit my work many times before submitting a final draft.
Efferent Reading
Reading to garner information from a text.
Ex: For history, I perform efferent reading of the textbook.
Enthymeme
Logical reasoning with one premise left unstated.
Ex: We cannot trust this man, for he has perjured himself in the past. (Missing: Those who perjure themselves cannot be trusted.)
Euphemism
An indirect expression of unpleasant information in such way as to lesson its impact.
Ex 1: “Passed away” for “died.”
Ex 2: “You see, I carry on a little business on the side, a sort of a sideline, you understand”(Fitzgerald 87).
