Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
178 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
abstract
|
(n) an abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research.
(adj) Dealing with or tending to deal with a subject apart from a particular or specific instance. |
|
|
ad hominem
|
directed to or appealing to feelings or prejudices instead of to intellect or reason
|
|
|
adage
|
a saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language.
ex: "There is more than one way to skin a cat" |
|
|
allegory
|
a story in which a 2nd meaning is to be read beneath the surface
|
|
|
alliteration
|
the repetition of one or more initial consonants in a group of words or lines in a poem
|
|
|
allusion
|
a reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea
|
|
|
ambiguity
|
a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations
|
|
|
anachronism
|
a person, scene, event, or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era.
ex: Columbus sailing to the US |
|
|
analogy
|
a comparison that points out similarities b/w two dissimilar things;
extended analogy = a passage that points out several similarities b/w two unlike things |
|
|
anecdote
|
a brief narrative often used to illustrate an idea or make a point
|
|
|
annotation
|
a brief explanation, summary, or evaluation of a text or work of lit.
|
|
|
antagonist
|
a character or force in a work of lit that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict
|
|
|
antecedent
|
a word to which a pronoun refers
|
|
|
antithesis
|
rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences
|
|
|
aphorism
|
a short, pithy statement of a generally acepted truth or sentiment
(see adage and maxim) |
|
|
Apollonian
|
in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualities of human nature and behavior
|
|
|
apostrophe
|
a locution that addresses a person or personified thng not present
ex: Cruel streets of Manhattan, how I detest you! |
|
|
arch
|
(adj) characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy, playful and somewhat irreverent
|
|
|
archetype
|
an abstract or ideal coneption of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model or form
|
|
|
assonance
|
the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry
|
|
|
bard
|
a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment
|
|
|
bathos
|
insincere or overdone sentimentality
|
|
|
belle-lettres
|
a French term for the word of books, criticism, and lit in general
|
|
|
bibliography
|
a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a particular subject
|
|
|
bombast
|
inflated, pretentious language
|
|
|
burlesque
|
a work of lit meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation
|
|
|
cacophony
|
grating, inharmonious sounds
|
|
|
canon
|
the works considered most important in a national lit or period; works widely read and studied
|
|
|
caricature
|
a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things
|
|
|
carpe diem
|
"seize the day"; enjoy life while you can, common theme in life and lit
|
|
|
circumlocution
|
literally "talking around" a subject; ie: discourse that avoids direct reference to a subject
|
|
|
classic
|
a highly regarded work of lit or other art form that has withstood the test of time
|
|
|
classical, classicism
|
deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity and restraint
|
|
|
clause
|
a structural element of a sentence, containing a subject and predicate
|
|
|
climax
|
the high point, or turning point of a story or play
|
|
|
comparison and contrast
|
a mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted
comparison - similarities contrast - differences |
|
|
conceit
|
a witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language
|
|
|
concrete detail
|
a highly specific, particular, often real, actual, or tangible detail; the opposite of abstract
|
|
|
connotation
|
the suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase
contrast with denotation |
|
|
consonance
|
the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing
|
|
|
critique
|
an analysis or assesment of a thing or situation for the purpose of determining
|
|
|
cynic
|
one who expects and observes nothing but the worst of human contact
|
|
|
deductive reasoning
|
a method of reasoning by which specific definitions, conclusions, and theorems are drawn from general principles
opposite of indeuctive reasoning |
|
|
denotation
|
dictionary def of a word
contrast with connotation |
|
|
denouement
|
the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or drama, real or imagined
|
|
|
descriptive detail
|
graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place or thing
|
|
|
deus ex machina
|
in lit, the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem
|
|
|
diction
|
the choice of words in oral and written discourse
|
|
|
didactic
|
having an instructive purpose; intending to convey info or teach a lesson, usually in a dry, ompous manner
|
|
|
digression
|
the portion of discourse that wanders or departs from the main subject or topic
|
|
|
Dionysian
|
as distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses
|
|
|
dramatic irony
|
a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation that a character
|
|
|
elegy
|
a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death of someone or something of value
"elegaic" |
|
|
ellipsis
|
(...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation
|
|
|
elliptical construction
|
a sentence containing a deliberate omission of words
|
|
|
empathy
|
a feeling of association or identification with an object or person
|
|
|
epic
|
a narrative poem that tells the adventures and exploits of a hero
|
|
|
epigram
|
a concise but ingenious, witty, and thoughtful statement
|
|
|
euphony
|
pleasing, harmonious sounds
|
|
|
epithet
|
an adj or phrase that expresses a striking quality of a person or thing
|
|
|
eponymous
|
a term for the thtle character of a work of lit
|
|
|
euphemism
|
a mild or less negative usage for a blunt term
|
|
|
exegesis
|
a detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of prose or poetry
|
|
|
expose
|
a piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other shortcomings
|
|
|
exposition
|
the background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay or otherwork; setting forth the meaning or purpose of a piece of writing or discourse
|
|
|
explanation
|
the interpretation or analysis of a text
|
|
|
extended metaphor
|
a series of comparisons b/w two unlike objects
|
|
|
fable
|
a short tale often with nonhuman characters from which a useful lesson may be learned
|
|
|
fallacy, fallacious reasoning
|
an incorrect belief or supposition based on faulty data, defective evidence, or false information
|
|
|
fantasy
|
a story containing unreal, imaginary features
|
|
|
farce
|
a comedy that contains an extavagant and nonsensical disgrgard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose
|
|
|
figure of speech, figurative language
|
in contrast to literal language, figurative language implies meanings
|
|
|
frame
|
a structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discouse
|
|
|
genre
|
a term used to describe literary forms, sush as novel, play and essay
|
|
|
harangue
|
a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade
|
|
|
homily
|
a forceful sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior
|
|
|
hubris
|
excessive pride that often affects tone
|
|
|
humanism
|
a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity
|
|
|
hyperbole
|
overstaement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect
|
|
|
idyll
|
a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place
|
|
|
image
|
a word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled of felt
"imagery" |
|
|
indirect quotation
|
a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased
|
|
|
inductive reasoning
|
a method of reasoning in which a number of specific facts or examples are used to make a generalization
|
|
|
inference
|
a conclusion or proprsition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data
|
|
|
invective
|
a direct verbal assault; a denunciation; casting blame on someone or something
|
|
|
irony
|
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
|
|
|
kenning
|
a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities
ex: "ring-giver" for king ...etc |
|
|
lampoon
|
a mocking, satirical assault on a persin or situation
|
|
|
litotes
|
a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity
"he is not a bad dancer" |
|
|
loose sentence
|
a sentence that does not end with the completion of its main clause, but continues with one or more subordinate clauses or other modifiers
(see periodic sentence) |
|
|
lyrical prose
|
personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject
|
|
|
malapropism
|
a confused use of words in which the appropriate word is replaced by one with a similar sound but inapproprite meaning
|
|
|
maxim
|
a saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth
(see adage and aphorism) |
|
|
melodrama
|
a literary form in which events are exaggereated in order to create an extreme emotional response
|
|
|
metaphor
|
a figure of speech that compares unlike objects
extended metaphor = several similar are compared metaphorical allusion = refering to a particular place or thing |
|
|
metaphysical
|
a term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits, expresses the complexities of love and life and is highly intellectual
|
|
|
metonymy
|
a FOS that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated
|
|
|
Middle English
|
language spoken in England b/w 1150 AD - 1500 AD
|
|
|
mock epic
|
a parody of traditional epic form
|
|
|
mock solemnity
|
feigned or delberately artificial seriousness, often for satirical purposes
|
|
|
mode
|
the general from, pattern and manner of expression of a piece of discourse
|
|
|
montage
|
a quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea
|
|
|
mood
|
the emotional tone or prevailing atm in a work of lit or other discourse.
indicative mood = statements of fact subjunctive mood = express doubt or conditional attitude imperative mood = to give commmands |
|
|
moral
|
a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of lit
|
|
|
motif
|
a phrase, idea, or event thet thru repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse
|
|
|
muse
|
(n) one of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts; imaginary source of inspiratin for artist or writer
(v) to reflect deeply; to ponder |
|
|
myth
|
an imaginary story that has become an accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or society
|
|
|
narrative
|
a for of verse or porse (both fiction and nonfiction) that tells a story
|
|
|
naturaliam
|
a term often used as a synonym for realism; also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic
|
|
|
non sequitur
|
a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before
|
|
|
objective
|
(adj) of or relating to facts and reality, as opposed to private and personal feelings and attitudes
opposite to subjective |
|
|
ode
|
a lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exhalted feelings toward the subject
|
|
|
Old English
|
the Anglo-Saxon language spoken from around 450 AD - 1150AD, in modern day Great Britian
|
|
|
omniscient narrator
|
a narrator with unlimited awareness, understanding, and insight of characters, setting, backgroud and all other elements to a story
|
|
|
onomatopoeia
|
the use of wordswhose sound suggest their meaning
bam! bubbling! pow! |
|
|
oxymoron
|
a tern consisting of contradictory elements juxaposed to create a paradoxical effect
|
|
|
parable
|
a story consisting of events from which a moral or spiritual truth may be derived
|
|
|
paradox
|
a statement that seems self-contradicory but is nevertheless true
|
|
|
parallel structure
|
the structure for expressing two or more grammatical elements of equal rank
|
|
|
parody
|
an imitation of a work meant to ridiclue its style and suject
|
|
|
paraphrase
|
a version of text put into simpler, everyday words
|
|
|
pastoral
|
a work of lit dealing with rural life
|
|
|
pathetic fallacy
|
faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or non human objects
|
|
|
pathos
|
that element in nature that stimulates pity or sorrow
|
|
|
pendantic
|
narrowly academic instead of broad and humane; excessively petty and meticulous
|
|
|
periodic sentence
|
a sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end
|
|
|
persona
|
the role or fascade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader or other audience
|
|
|
personification
|
a FOS in which objecta and animals are given human characteristics
|
|
|
plot
|
the interrelationship among the events of the story; the plot line is the patteren of events, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution
|
|
|
point of view
|
the relation in which a narrator or speaker stands to a subject of discourse
1st person = internal POV observer = external POV |
|
|
predicate
|
the part of a sentence that is not the grammatical subject
|
|
|
prose
|
any discourse that is not poetry
|
|
|
proverb
|
a short, pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experiense into memorable form
see adage and maxim |
|
|
pseudonym
|
a false name or alias used by writers
|
|
|
pulp fiction
|
novels written for mass consumption, often empasizing exciting and titillating plots
|
|
|
pun
|
a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings
|
|
|
realism
|
the dipiction of people, things and event as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect
(see naturalism) |
|
|
rebuttal (or) refutation
|
the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments are anticipated and answered
|
|
|
reiteration
|
repetition of an idea using different words, phrases, or ideas for rhetorical effect
|
|
|
repetition
|
reuse of the same words, phrases or ideas for rhetorical effect, usually to emphasize a point
|
|
|
retraction
|
the withdrawl of a previously ststed idea or opinion
|
|
|
rhetoric
|
the lang. of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience
|
|
|
rhetorical mode
|
a general tern that identifies discourse according to chief purpose
|
|
|
rhetorical question
|
a question to which the audience already knows the answer, a question merely asked for effect with no answer expected
|
|
|
rhetorical stance
|
lang, that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a certain subject
|
|
|
rhyme
|
the retetition of similar sounds at regular intervals, used mostly in poetry but not unheard of in prose
|
|
|
rhythm
|
the patterm of stressed and unstressed syllables that make up speech and writing
|
|
|
romance
|
an extended narrative about improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places
|
|
|
sarcasm
|
a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words thru jibes, taunts or other remarks. less subtle than irony
|
|
|
satire
|
a literary style used to poke fun at attack, or ridicule an idea, vice, or foible, often for the purpose of inducing change
|
|
|
sentence structure
|
the arrangement of the parts of a sentence
simple = one subject, one verb compound = 2+ clauses joined by subjunction complex = lots-o-clases joined by dependent clauses |
|
|
sentiment
|
a synonym for view of feeling; also a refined and tender emotion in lit
|
|
|
sentimental
|
a term that describes character's excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish
|
|
|
setting
|
an environment that consists of time, place, historical milieu and social, political, and even spiritual circumstances
|
|
|
simile
|
a figurative comparison using the words like or as
|
|
|
stream of consciousness
|
a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind
|
|
|
style
|
the manner in which an author uses and arraanges words, shapes ideas, forms sentences and creates a structure to convey ideas
|
|
|
stylistic devices
|
a general term reffering to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language and all other elements that contribute to the "style" or manner of a given piece of discourse
|
|
|
subject development
|
the name of a grammatical until that is comprised of predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives
|
|
|
subjective
|
(adj) of or relating to private and personal feelings and attitudes as opposed to facts and reality
opposite is objective |
|
|
subtext
|
the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of an essay or other work
|
|
|
syllogism
|
a form of deductive reasoning in which given certain ideas or facts, other ideas or facts must follow
|
|
|
symbolism
|
the use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object
|
|
|
synecdote
|
a FOS in whic a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part. or when name of material stands for the thing itself (ie: pigskin & football)
|
|
|
syntax
|
the organization of lang. into meaningful structure; every sentence has a particular syntax, or pattern of words
|
|
|
theme
|
the main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which an essay or other form of discourse is built
|
|
|
thesis
|
the main idea of a piece of discourse; the statement or proposition that a speaker or writer wishes to advance, illustrate, prove or defend
|
|
|
tone
|
the author's attitude toward the subject being written about. tone is the characteristic emotion that prevades a work or part of a work--the spirit or quality that is the work's emotional essence
|
|
|
tragedy
|
a form of lit in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish
|
|
|
transition
|
a stylistic device used to create a link between ideas. transitions often endow discourse with continuity and coherence
|
|
|
trope
|
the generic name for a FOS such as image, symbol, simile, and metaphor
|
|
|
understatement
|
a restrained statement that departs from what could be said; a studied aviodance of emphasis or exaggeration, often to create a particular effect
|
|
|
verbal irony
|
a discrepancy b/w the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words
|
|
|
verse
|
a synonym for poetry; also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry
|
|
|
verisimilitude
|
similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is
|
|
|
voice
|
the real or assumed personality used by a writer or speaker.
in grammar, active voice and passive voice refer to the use of verbs |
|
|
whimsy
|
an object, device, or creation that is fanciful or rooted in unreality
|
|
|
wit
|
the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the folibles of the passing scene
|
