Ap English Terminology: List #3 (P-W)

Front 1

the perspective from which a story is told; also, the author’s attitude.

Back 1

Point of View

Hint 1

1) first person narrator tells the story with the first person pronoun, “I,” and is a character in the story. This narrator  can be the protagonist, a secondary character, or an observing character.  (2) third person narrator relates the events with the third person pronouns, “he,” “she,” and “it.” There are two main  subdivisions to be aware of:  a. third person omniscient, in which the narrator, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of  any or all characters  b. third person limited omniscient, in which the narrator presents the feelings and thoughts of only one  character, presenting only the actions of all the remaining characters.  

Front 2

One of the major divisions of genre, this term refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms.

Back 2

Prose

Hint 2

In prose the printer  determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line.

Front 3

The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause,  sentence, or grammatical pattern.

Back 3

Repetiton

Front 4

This term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and  persuasively.  

Back 4

Rhetoric

Hint 4

From the Greek for “orator."

Front 5

This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing.

Back 5

Rhetorical Modes

Hint 5

The  four most common rhetorical modes (often referred to as “modes of discourse”) are as follows:  


(1) The purpose of exposition (or expository writing) is to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea,  relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion. The AP language exam essay questions are frequently expository  topics.

 (2) The purpose of argumentation is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning,  discussion, and argument that thoroughly convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation having  an additional aim of urging some form of action.

(3) The purpose of description is to recreate, invent, or visually present a person, place, event or action so that the reader  can picture that being described. Sometimes an author engages all five senses in description; good descriptive  writing can be sensuous and picturesque. Descriptive writing may be straightforward and objective or highly  emotional an subjective.  

(4) The purpose of narration is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events. This writing mode frequently uses  the tools of descriptive writing.   

Front 6

Involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

Back 6

Sarcasm

Hint 6

From the Greek meaning “to tear flesh,” sarcasm .

It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic (that is, intended to ridicule).

When well done, sarcasm can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it is simply cruel

Front 7

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.

Back 7

Satire

Hint 7

Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform human behavior, satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing.

It can be recognized by the many devices used effectively by the satirist: irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm.

The effects of satire are varied, depending on the writer’s goal, but good satire, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition.

Some modern satirists include Joseph Heller (Catch 22) and Kurt Vonnegut (Cat’s Cradle, Player Piano

Front 8

The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their  connotations, and their relation to one another.  

Back 8

Semantics

Front 9

The consideration of this term has two purposes:
(1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other  literary devices.
(2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors.

Back 9

Style

Hint 9

(1)Some authors’ styles are so idiosyncratic that we can quickly recognize works by the same author.  We can analyze and describe an author’s personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author’s  purpose. Styles can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, laconic, etc
(2)By means of such classification  and comparison, we can see how an author’s style reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the  Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental, or realist  movement.

Front 10

The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or  completes, the subject of the sentence by either
(1) renaming it (the predicate nominative)
(2) describing it (the  predicate adjective).

Back 10

Subject Complement

Hint 10

(1) the predicate nominative – a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. It, like the  predicate adjective, follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence.  Example: Julia Roberts is a movie star.  movie star = predicate nominative, as it renames the subject, Julia Roberts  

(2) the predicate adjective -- an adjective, a group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb.  It is in the predicate of the sentence, and modifies, or describes, the subject.  Example: Warren remained optimistic.  optimistic = predicate adjective, as it modifies the subject, Warren  

Front 11

This word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or  modifiers), but cannot stand alone.

Back 11

Subordinate Clause/ Dependent Clause

Hint 11

Also called a dependent clause, the subordinate clause depends on a main clause (or independent clause) to  complete its meaning. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses. For example: although,  because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as, while, who, when, where, how and that.  Example: Yellowstone is a national park in the West that is known for its geysers.  underlined phrase = subordinate clause  

Front 12

A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called “major” and the second called “minor”) that  inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.

Back 12

Syllogism

Hint 12

From the Greek for “reckoning together”

A frequently cited example proceeds as follows:  major premise: All men are mortal.  minor premise: Socrates is a man.  conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is a mortal.  A syllogism’s conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid. Syllogisms may also present the specific idea  first (“Socrates”) and the general second (“all men”).

Front 13

Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else.

Usually something  concrete -- such as an object, action, character, or scene – that represents something more abstract.

Back 13

Symbol/Symbolism

Hint 13

(1) natural symbols are objects and occurrences from nature to symbolize ideas commonly associated with them (dawn  symbolizing hope or a new beginning, a rose symbolizing love, a tree symbolizing knowledge).  

(2) conventional symbols are those that have been invested with meaning by a group (religious symbols such as a cross  or Star of David; national symbols, such as a flag or an eagle; or group symbols, such as a skull and crossbones for  pirates or the scale of justice for lawyers).  

(3) literary symbols are sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are more  generally recognized. However, a work’s symbols may be more complicated, as is the jungle in Heart of Darkness.

*On the AP exam, try to determine what abstraction an object is a symbol for and to what extent it is successful in  representing that abstraction.

Front 14

a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole or, occasionally, the whole is used to  represent a part.

Back 14

Synecdoch

Hint 14

Examples: To refer to a boat as a “sail”; to refer to a car as “wheels”; to refer to the violins, violas, etc. in an orchestra as “the strings.”

Front 15

when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another.

Back 15

Synesthesia

Hint 15

Ex: The sight of red ants makes  you itchy. In literature, it refers to the practice of associating two or more different senses in the same image.  

Front 16

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.

Back 16

Syntax

Front 17

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.

Back 17

Theme

Hint 17

Usually theme is unstated in fictional works, but in  nonfiction, the theme may be directly state, especially in expository or argumentative writing.

Front 18

In expository writing, it is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s  opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.

Back 18

Thesis

Front 19

Similar to mood, this describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both.

Back 19

Tone

Hint 19

Tone is easier to determine  in spoken language than in written language.

Front 20

A word or phrase that links different ideas.

Back 20

Transition

Hint 20

Used especially, although not exclusively, in expository and  argumentative writing, these effectively signal a shift from one idea to another.

Front 21

The ironic minimalizing of fact, it presents something as less significant than it is.

Back 21

Understatement

Hint 21

The effect can  frequently be humorous and emphatic.

Front 22

In modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.

Back 22

Wit

Hint 22

A is humorous, while suggesting the speaker’s verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks.