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Old 02-09-2017, 04:37 PM
 
28,895 posts, read 54,153,037 times
Reputation: 46680

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Quote:
Originally Posted by DNAborg View Post
not according to dictionary.com and vocabulary.com:

dic·tion
ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
1.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
"Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
synonyms: phraseology, phrasing, turn of phrase, wording, language, usage, vocabulary, terminology, expressions, idioms
"her diction was archaic"
2.
the style of enunciation in speaking or singing.
"she began imitating his careful diction"
synonyms: enunciation, articulation, elocution, locution, pronunciation, speech, intonation, inflection; delivery
"his careful diction"

also see https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/diction
Who gives a rip?

Let me guess. You're the guy who always has to be right.

The woman said she didn't like your usage. She has sway over your GPA. Just make the change. I mean, are you going to go fifteen rounds with your boss over the wording of some memo just because you prefer a different word that he does?

It's not like you're knuckling under to the Nazis here. Or that it's curtains for the Free World if you take the word 'diction' out of your assignment. Just do it and move on.

Last edited by cpg35223; 02-09-2017 at 04:45 PM..

 
Old 02-09-2017, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Western U.S.
375 posts, read 296,869 times
Reputation: 410
Quote:
Originally Posted by fleetiebelle View Post
And while that might be a secondary dictionary definition of the word, it's not the commonly understood usage of the word. To paraphrase Dr. Phil, do you want to be right, or do you want a good grade?
Exactly. The teachers given definition is by far the most common. And it's also the only way in which I've heard or read the word used. And parsing words and semantics with the person who keeps the grade book is never the best idea.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 04:43 PM
 
18,381 posts, read 19,018,265 times
Reputation: 15699
the OP should pick his battles, this isn't one.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 04:51 PM
 
Location: United States
953 posts, read 842,792 times
Reputation: 2832
Let us move past Dr. Phil and others in order to allow a luminary to contribute.

Mr. Shakespeare, what say you about this: "Much Ado About Nothing."

Last edited by Miss Blue; 02-12-2017 at 05:20 AM..
 
Old 02-09-2017, 04:56 PM
 
35,095 posts, read 51,230,433 times
Reputation: 62669
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNAborg View Post
don't care about looking smarter to a teacher, esp since i don't know her well or care much about her opinion. I want to be able to continue using the words i fill fits into the context and are correct, instead of choosing other words or avoiding any words the professor falsely believes are incorrect. She also advocates that we be concise in our writing ; "diction" is more concise than "word choice" - it is better DICTION in my opinion.
When you are the Professor your opinion will matter, right now it does not.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 05:05 PM
 
130 posts, read 105,591 times
Reputation: 132
god you people are so dense! i emailed her confronting the situation. Guess what? being an english professor doesn't mean you have the right to butcher the language, much less require others to. It's not what you say; it's how you say it. I sent her a sweet toned email that praised her for teaching me another definition of the word and she said "good for you for looking the word up!" and ended the email with a smiley face. It's not what you say; it's how you say it. i prefer to have my say but without offending the person who has authority over me, and it can be done, unless your professor is a narcissistic ego-maniac, but i think even Trump wouldn't be offended by this situation!

She also said that i should pick another word, since the fact we are discussing the word so much means that it is prone to cause confusion, so i won't use the word "diction", but at least when i accidentally when i forget that she doesn't like the word, she would know that it isn't wrong and mark me against it.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 05:32 PM
 
28,895 posts, read 54,153,037 times
Reputation: 46680
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNAborg View Post
god you people are so dense! i emailed her confronting the situation. Guess what? being an english professor doesn't mean you have the right to butcher the language, much less require others to. It's not what you say; it's how you say it. I sent her a sweet toned email that praised her for teaching me another definition of the word and she said "good for you for looking the word up!" and ended the email with a smiley face. It's not what you say; it's how you say it. i prefer to have my say but without offending the person who has authority over me, and it can be done, unless your professor is a narcissistic ego-maniac, but i think even Trump wouldn't be offended by this situation!

She also said that i should pick another word, since the fact we are discussing the word so much means that it is prone to cause confusion, so i won't use the word "diction", but at least when i accidentally when i forget that she doesn't like the word, she would know that it isn't wrong and mark me against it.
I'm pretty sure you're the dense one here. There's such a thing as being right and wrong at the same time.

I mean, if you really want to tilt at windmills, Mr. Quixote, knock yourself out. It's your grade.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 05:38 PM
 
Location: The Carolinas
2,511 posts, read 2,817,231 times
Reputation: 7982
No. You should not correct your professor.
 
Old 02-09-2017, 05:56 PM
 
9,446 posts, read 6,575,697 times
Reputation: 18898
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNAborg View Post
not according to dictionary.com and vocabulary.com:

dic·tion
ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
1.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
"Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
synonyms: phraseology, phrasing, turn of phrase, wording, language, usage, vocabulary, terminology, expressions, idioms
"her diction was archaic"
2.
the style of enunciation in speaking or singing.
"she began imitating his careful diction"
synonyms: enunciation, articulation, elocution, locution, pronunciation, speech, intonation, inflection; delivery
"his careful diction"

also see https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/diction

Merriam-Webster says diction is the " clearness of a person's speech ".
 
Old 02-09-2017, 05:59 PM
 
Location: Brentwood, Tennessee
49,932 posts, read 59,927,052 times
Reputation: 98359
Since you enjoy being pedantic, OP, you should remember that the root word of "diction" is the Latin word "dicere," which means TO SAY.

It's not "scribere," which means "to write."

So while common usage may have watered down the perception of this word's meaning to the point that they think it's interchangeable, it's not the best choice for what you are trying to express.
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