Diction

Diction is the art of enunciating with clarity, of speaking in such a way that each word is clearly heard. It is concerned with pronunciation and enunciation.

Related Topics:
Pronunciation - Enunciation

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Diction is also concerned with the choice of words to be used. It is closely associated with register i.e. whether words belong to a formal or informal social context. Analysis of diction in literature will reveal a lot about how a passage established tone and characterisation. For example, a preponderance of verbs related to physical movement in a story may help to suggest a character who is active while a preponderance of verbs related to states of mind would help to portray a character's introspection.

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It is from this definition of diction that we derive the word dictionary.v

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