Diction Terms

Question 1

word that signifies a general and intangible concept, idea, or condition (i.e. truth, freedom, beauty)

Answer 1

abstract

function: leaves interpretation to reader & personalizes argument

Question 2

an old fashioned word or expression that is no longer used commonly (i.e. gee! this day is really swell)

Answer 2

archaism

function: authors manly invoke an earlier time period or poke fun at it

Question 3

word that specifies what is tangible or something we can know with one of the five senses (i.e. table, salt, frozen)

Answer 3

concrete

function: clarity

Question 4

the implied or understood meaning of a work and its association (i.e. walk vs stride vs stroll)

Answer 4

connotation

function: allows for manipulation to meaning according to associations a specific audience brings to the situation

Question 5

the literal or dictionary definition of a word (i.e. walk vs stride vs stroll)

Answer 5

denotation

function: allows for manipulation to meaning according to associations a specific audience brings to the situation

Question 6

words and phrases in casual conversation, often particular to a geographic region (i.e. that test was wicked hard, it was embarrassing when my phone kept blowing up in the movies)

Answer 6

colloquialism

function: create a casual & conversational tone, often used when the author wants his audience to count him/her as one of their own

Question 7

substitution of a more agreeable or polite word for one that sounds negative or offensive (i.e. climate change in place of global warming, downsizing for firing employees)

Answer 7

euphemism

function: soften a message or detract from a negative aspect (relates to connotation of a message)

Question 8

specialized language of a professional, occupational, or other group (connotatively, it has come to be associated with wordiness and pretentiousness)

Answer 8

jargon

function: audience is key; if used in a seemily inappropriate context, the author may be attempting satire

Question 9

a recently invented phrase or word (i.e. after i tweeted about my recent college acceptance, i googled the campus’s freshman dorms)

Answer 9

neologism

function: establishes the author as current

Question 10

the combination of two or more words into one (i.e. fog+smoke=smog, breakfast+lunch=brunch)

Answer 10

portmanteau

function: clarify/labels concepts, adds wit to writing

Question 11

a play on words to suggest two meanings associated with just one word (i.e. GE: we bring good things to life - they offer customers good products; they invent, or bring things to life)

Answer 11

pun

function: to suggest more than one meaning/quality for critique, humor, etc

Question 23

pun

Answer 23

a play on words to suggest two meanings associated with just one word (i.e. GE: we bring good things to life - they offer customers good products; they invent, or bring things to life)

function: to suggest more than one meaning/quality for critique, humor, etc

Question 24

portmanteau

Answer 24

the combination of two or more words into one (i.e. fog+smoke=smog, breakfast+lunch=brunch)

function: clarify/labels concepts, adds wit to writing

Question 25

neologism

Answer 25

a recently invented phrase or word (i.e. after i tweeted about my recent college acceptance, i googled the campus’s freshman dorms)

function: establishes the author as current

Question 26

jargon

Answer 26

specialized language of a professional, occupational, or other group (connotatively, it has come to be associated with wordiness and pretentiousness)

function: audience is key; if used in a seemily inappropriate context, the author may be attempting satire

Question 27

euphemism

Answer 27

substitution of a more agreeable or polite word for one that sounds negative or offensive (i.e. climate change in place of global warming, downsizing for firing employees)

function: soften a message or detract from a negative aspect (relates to connotation of a message)

Question 28

colloquialism

Answer 28

words and phrases in casual conversation, often particular to a geographic region (i.e. that test was wicked hard, it was embarrassing when my phone kept blowing up in the movies)

function: create a casual & conversational tone, often used when the author wants his audience to count him/her as one of their own

Question 29

denotation

Answer 29

the literal or dictionary definition of a word (i.e. walk vs stride vs stroll)

function: allows for manipulation to meaning according to associations a specific audience brings to the situation

Question 30

connotation

Answer 30

the implied or understood meaning of a work and its association (i.e. walk vs stride vs stroll)

function: allows for manipulation to meaning according to associations a specific audience brings to the situation

Question 31

concrete

Answer 31

word that specifies what is tangible or something we can know with one of the five senses (i.e. table, salt, frozen)

function: clarity

Question 32

archaism

Answer 32

an old fashioned word or expression that is no longer used commonly (i.e. gee! this day is really swell)

function: authors manly invoke an earlier time period or poke fun at it

Question 33

abstract

Answer 33

word that signifies a general and intangible concept, idea, or condition (i.e. truth, freedom, beauty)

function: leaves interpretation to reader & personalizes argument