Tactical Strategies
Pedantic diction is a type of writing in which the author is overly concerned with grammatical logistics and vocabulary that will make the piece of writing sound convincing. Authors might use pedantic diction in scholarly articles or writings and research papers; to present information in a way that is professional and leaves the reader with new things learned. Readers are less likely to accept new information if the diction used contains slang and/or contractions, so writers take advantage of fancy words and perfect grammar to appear smart, and therefore, convince the reader to believe what they are reading.
Steps for Analysis
Here are the steps for identifying and analyzing a piece using pedantic diction:
The most telling sign of a pedantic article is identifying who wrote it. The author’s biography and/or educational background can help you identify if the writing is a research-based article or intended to inform the audience of a claim or belief
When reading the piece, look out for contractions or slang. If the article has any of these, the author did not intend to use pedantic diction.
Does the author use correct sentence structures and grammar? If not, the piece is not pedantic diction.
Does the article quote studies and/or reputable organizations or sources?
Nonfiction Prose
“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (4) has considered a range of scenarios for future GHGs, which is further expanded in its Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (9). Yet global warming simulations have focused on “business as usual” scenarios with rapidly increasing GHGs. These scenarios yield a steep, relentless increase in global temperature throughout the twenty-first century (4, 10) with the warming of several degrees Celsius by 2100, if climate sensitivity is 2–4°C for doubled CO2, as climate models suggest (4, 11–13)” (Hansen, Sato, Reudy).
Hansen, James, et al. "Global warming in the twenty-first century: An alternative scenario."
PNAS, 15 Aug. 2000, www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.170278997. Accessed 6 Sept.
2022.
Analysis of Nonfiction Prose:
The research paper written by James Hansen, Makiko Sato, and Reto Reudy, uses pedantic diction throughout the entire paper. The paper describes the harmful effects of global warming in the twenty-first century and even provides several solutions. James Hansen, a college professor at Columbia University, and the rest of the authors who wrote the piece came from respected and well-educated backgrounds, making their collaborative paper contain many reputable sources and information. Their paper intended to educate the public by using scientific evidence provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Throughout the paper, proper grammar and sentence structure were used, and high vocabulary and diction were present in their writing. From the pedantic diction, the readers are able to use scientific knowledge to better comprehend the dangers of climate change. The abundance of statistics demonstrated by Hansen and the other authors makes their paper become more believable to the readers. The usage of multiple studies and reputable sources may allow more people to believe that Hansen’s paper is more credible than other papers.