Diction

            What is diction?:

An important part of being a poet, is knowing which words to choose.  Poets are faced constantly with making decisions on how to express themselves.  English has many synonyms or words with the same meaning, and there are also many times where words have shades of meaning but completely different emotions associated with them.  It can be difficult to choose the right word for a situation and poets select their language very carefully.  You must be aware then that every word has potential to have special meaning within a poem.  The poet may choose the word ibis over the word bird because they think an ibis is pretty.  But they may choose the word ibis because it has associate with Egyptian gods, or because it continues a sound pattern within a poem.  Take time to consider every word within a poem before making judgments about the meaning of that poem.

    denotation- The meaning or dictionary definition of a word.

    connotation- The feelings, emotions, or meanings associated with a word.  The word black denotes a specific color, but its connotation is one of fear, night, evil, sleepiness, death and an infinite number of other meanings depending on the context of the word.

    neologism- Poets often make up words for a poem.  They may seem to have meaning, or may simply sound good musically.  A neologist makes up new words. 

        examples: Twas brillig and the slithy toves ("Jabberwocky," Carroll)

    portmanteau- A word that is a combination of two or more words. (Uses neologism)

        examples: He chortled in his joy. ("Jabberwocky," Carroll) Chortle is a combination of chuckle and snort.

                Types of language:

Depending on what the poet intends for his poem, he will choose a diction that evokes feelings, moods, or tones about his topic.  Some of the following types of language may be used in poems.

    slang- Many poems contain colloquial expressions, informal grammar, and regional vernacular.

    scientific- Some poems use large scientific words to convey a message.

    religious- Some words have spiritual meanings or connotations.

    academic- Academic language may be the language of students and professors as they try to describe events, people, or ideas with proper form.

There are many other forms of language that may appear within a poem.  Consider each word carefully and decide if the language within a poem is consistent.  Look for patterns in word choice and you may be able to find hidden meanings within a poem.