What does diction refer to in speech?

Diction refers to the clarity and enunciation of words in speech. It encompasses how well a speaker articulates sounds, the precision of their pronunciation, and the overall intelligibility of their speech. Good diction ensures that the audience can easily understand the speaker's message, which is critical for effective communication. Proper diction involves not just speaking clearly, but also the careful selection of words to convey the intended meaning accurately.

While effective communication may also involve emotional tone, loudness, and vocabulary variety, these elements do not define diction itself. Emotional tone reflects feelings and attitudes conveyed through voice modulation, loudness relates to the volume of speech, and vocabulary variety involves the range of words a speaker uses. However, diction specifically focuses on the articulation and clarity of the words spoken.