Ch. 15: Using Words Well-#1

Rhyming

-Rhyme is a popular literary device in which the repetition of the same or similar sounds occurs in two or more words, usually at the end of lines in poems or songs. For example: the words "gaining" and "straining" are rhyming words in English because they start with different consonant sounds, but the first stressed vowel is identical, as is the rest of the word.

Similes

-is a less direct comparison that includes the word LIKE or AS. For example, "His lies make him as slippery as a snake"

Metaphor

-is an implied comparison For example: "He is a snake"

Personification

-is the attribution of human qualities to inanimate things or ideas. For example: you say that the sun smiles upon your city, you are personifying the sun.

Alliteration

-is the repetition of a consonant sound (usually an initial consonant) several times in a phrase, clause, or sentence (for example, discipline and direction: confidence and courage) For example: "She sells sea-shells down by the sea-shore" or "Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers" are both alliterative phrases.

Jargon

-is the specialized language of a particular profession or hobby -Each of these different types of jargon is used as a shorthand by people in-the-know to make communicating easier. By learning the jargon for a particular industry, you can develop a deeper understanding of its culture and commonly-used phrases. Examples of Internet Jargon: BTW - By the way CYA - See you around FAQ - Frequently asked questions HTH - Hope this helps MOTD - Message of the day YMMV - Your mileage may vary IIRC - If I remember correctly IANAL - I am not a lawyer LOL - Laugh out loud BFF - Best friends forever TTYL - Talk to you later

Repetition

-using a key word or phrase more than once gives rhythm and power to your message and makes it memorable For example: Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous civil rights speech For example: "I felt happy because I saw the others were happy and because I knew I should feel happy, but I wasn't really happy."

What are the Ways in Using Words Well?

1) Denotative 2) Connotative 3) Metaphor 4) Similes 5) Jargon 6) Personification 7) Repetition 8) Alliteration 9) Rhyming

what do we need to remember in considering connotations?

1) audience members may have their own private connotations for words, based on their own experiences (private connotations) 2) if your audience includes people whose first language is not English,explain your intentions in more detail, rather than relying on word associations

Connotative

Connotation of a word is the meaning we associate with the word, based on our past experiences. For example, the notorious connotes fame resulting from some dire deed. -notorious and famous are not really interchangeable. it is just as important to consider the connotations of the words you use as it is to consider the denotations.

Denotative

Denotation of a word is its literal meaning, the definition you find in a dictionary. For example, the denotation of the word notorious is "famous"