Diction is More Than Just a Choice of Words

In english class we learn about how an author's diction can set a tone and mood, but little did you know diction is articulation score in the show choir world. Diction can determine a writing poems piece or who is going to win 1st or 2nd place.

This show choir season has so far been a success for my show choir due to our 1st place at our latest competition. When looking at our scores, I noticed we could've lost if our diction wasn't articulate enough. For those of you who still haven't figured it out, an example of great diction is singing the phrase "throwin' back till' I lose count" while emphasizing the th-, -ck, t-, and -nt sounds. As silly as it sounds, over enunciating the constant sounds while singing in a choir can determine whether or not you sing "Jesus is alive" vs. "Jesus is a lie". It's extremely important to over exaggerate the constanant sounds or else words become open ended and messy.

Not only in singing is articulation is important, but as well as in day to day conversations. It's hard to understand someone your speaking with if their speech sounds slurred and messy. Not having the best articulation can show a lack of confidence in your words because it shows how uneasy and cautious you are about what you want to say. Having perfect "diction" can show a lot of confidence with the person you are speaking. However extreme diction to the point where your spitting, is not necesarry but at least make sure you don't sound like an indie singer during a normal conversation. For example, in a job interview a boss would not want to take someone that couldn't speak properly. If I were a boss, I would rather take someone who shows confidence in their language vs. someone who talking without "completing their phrases". All in all, it would be better to have a good sense of diction balance to the point where it's not an over-the-top choir status or a indie artist singing kind of deal.

All in all, diction can be used in the engilsh world, choir world, and our everyday conversations. Diction can score us a good grade on our english analysis papers, a 1st place in musicianship, and potentially a new friend or job.

#English #ShowChoir