Subtext is a hidden meaning that is different from the direct meaning of the words, which, when spoken, are adjusted depending on the context of the situation. Dialogue is the spoken conversation in a play. Diction refers to the technical and artistic qualities of language, specifically the selection and arrangement of words, phrases, sentences, lines, and speeches. Abstract words describe things that cannot be perceived by the senses. Concrete words describe things that can be seen and touched. Formal words denote elevated language, and informal words are simple everyday expressions. Jargon is specialized professional language, and slang is nonstandard everyday words. Connotative words convey more than their dictionary meaning. A sentence is a set of words complete in itself. Sentence length refers to the number of words in a sentence. Long sentences may be governed by a halting, insecure feeling of anxiety or perhaps by unrestrained hysterics. They may also be dictated by the complexity of the thinking or the richness of the images. Short sentences and sentence fragments can be harsh and piercing or else suggest weariness or dullness. Grammatically, sentences are simple (one main clause), compound (two or more main clauses connected by a conjunction), or complex (two or more clauses but one is subordinate and linked with a subordinating word). Sentence rhythm refers to patterns of verbal thought. A line is a single continuous statement by a specific character, typically a few sentences or less. A speech is an extended sequence of sentences devoted to one particular topic. Punctuation (periods, commas, exclamation points, question marks, ellipses, and single and double dashes) in stage dialogue is not just grammatical but also “dramatical.” Linking refers to the thoughts and stage business that serve to connect lines of dialogue between and among the characters. Literariness is the use of artistic devices such as rhythmic structure, rhyme, and other patterns of sound and repetition. Imagery refers to mental pictures created through association with the various senses. Poetry refers to the particular intensity given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of a distinctive style and rhythm. Charm refers to the capability of stage dialogue power to please through wit, irony, gracefulness, or surprise. Dialects are verbal departures from standard language. Accents are particular ways of pronouncing standard language. Leisureliness in stage dialogue is unhurriedness and a slow tempo leading to an undramatic impression. Incomplete sentences are incomplete thoughts, rapid speech is pressured and difficult to interrupt, broken sentences are missing necessary words, and stream-of-consciousness monologues are continuous flows of very many thoughts.