Rhetorical Analysis Review ^ Rhetoric Tool Box: Diction

Question 1

implied; suggested; the associative, non-literal meaning of a word (ex: lamb - blessed, sacrificial)

Answer 1

connotation

Question 2

the dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any attitude or emotion; the literal meaning (ex: lamb - a young sheep)

Answer 2

denotation

Question 3

characteristic of or appropriate to spoken language or writing that seeks its effect; familiar; not generally acceptable for formal writing; ordinary type of conversation (ex: “be at loose ends”, “gym”)

Answer 3

colloquial

Question 4

educated; literary language (ex: “How do you do?”)

Answer 4

formal

Question 5

conversational language (ex: “What’s up?”)

Answer 5

informal

Question 6

language used by a particular profession

Answer 6

jargon

Question 7

informal; socially conversational; the unconventional language of a particular subgroup of a culture. (ex: “blow off”, “bummed”)

Answer 7

slang

Question 8

refers to general actions, conditions, ideas, qualities, or relationships that cannot be directly perceived by the senses (ex: anxiety, bravery)

Answer 8

abstract

Question 9

names a specific action, object, person, or place that can be directly perceived by the senses (ex: book, building)

Answer 9

concrete

Question 10

in comparison; not literal

Answer 10

figurative

Question 11

actual; not exaggerated

Answer 11

literal

Question 12

harsh sounding (ex: construction)

Answer 12

cacophonous

Question 13

pleasant sounding (ex: lullaby)

Answer 13

euphonious

Question 14

consisting of one syllable only (ex: you)

Answer 14

monosyllabic

Question 15

consisting of multiple syllables (ex: capitalization)

Answer 15

polysyllabic