Ap English Terms

Front 1

refers to language that describes rather than concrete images

Back 1

abstract

Front 2

in an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas
-against a man

Back 2

ad hominem

Front 3

an extended narrative in prose of which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story

Back 3

allegory

Front 4

repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to one another
ex: Donald Duck, Micky Mouse

Back 4

Aliteration

Front 5

a reference to a well-known person, place or thing from literature, history ect.

Back 5

allusion

Front 6

comparison of two similar but different things, usually to clarify an action or a relationship
ex: running a business is like managing an orchestra

Back 6

analogy

Front 7

repetition of a word, phrase or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. deliberate and helps writer make point
ex: there was a dog, there was a cat

Back 7

anaphora

Front 8

a short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effect or to make a point

Back 8

anecdote

Front 9

explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data

Back 9

annotation

Front 10

the presentation of two contrasting images. the ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs
ex: to be or not to be

Back 10

antithesis

Front 11

a short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life
ex: what goes around comes around

Back 11

aphorism

Front 12

usually in poetry but sometimes in prose, the device of calling out an imaginary, dead or absent person or to place, thing or personified abstraction
ex: For Brutus, as you know was Caesar's angel

Back 12

apostrophe

Front 13

writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments

Back 13

argumentation

Front 14

repetition of vowel sounds b/t different consonants
ex: neigh/fade

Back 14

assonance

Front 15

commas used to separate a series of words; omits conjunction
ex: be one of the few, one of the proud, the Marines.

Back 15

asyndeton

Front 16

harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony

Back 16

cacophony

Front 17

descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person's appearance or facet of personality

Back 17

caricature

Front 18

a word or phrase used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing
:slang

Back 18

colloquialism

Front 19

quality of a piece of writing in which all th parts contribute to the development of central idea, theme or organizing principle

Back 19

coherence

Front 20

language that describes specific, observable things, people or places, rather than ideas or qualities

Back 20

concrete language

Front 21

quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme or organizing principle

Back 21

coherence

Front 22

language that describes specific, observable things,people, or places rather than ideas or qualities

Back 22

concrete language

Front 23

implied or suggested meaning of a word because of its association in the reader's mind

Back 23

connotation

Front 24

repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity,
ex:boost/best or ping-pong

Back 24

consonance

Front 25

a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; it may also be a paradox or difficult problem

Back 25

conundrum

Front 26

the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example

Back 26

deduction

Front 27

literal meaning of a word as defined

Back 27

denotation

Front 28

the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell and touch; one of the four modes of discourse

Back 28

description

Front 29

word choice, an element of style

Back 29

diction

Front 30

quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme or organizing principle

Back 30

coherence

Front 31

language that describes specific, observable things,people, or places rather than ideas or qualities

Back 31

concrete language

Front 32

implied or suggested meaning of a word because of its association in the reader's mind

Back 32

connotation

Front 33

repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity,
ex:boost/best or ping-pong

Back 33

consonance

Front 34

a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; it may also be a paradox or difficult problem

Back 34

conundrum

Front 35

the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example

Back 35

deduction

Front 36

literal meaning of a word as defined

Back 36

denotation

Front 37

the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell and touch; one of the four modes of discourse

Back 37

description

Front 38

word choice, an element of style

Back 38

diction

Front 39

writing whose purpose is to instruct or to teach.
normally formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns

Back 39

didactic

Front 40

spoken or written language, including literary works
the 4 classified modes of ______ are description, exposition, narration and persuasion

Back 40

discourse

Front 41

harsh or grating sounds that do not go together

Back 41

dissonance

Front 42

when reader is aware of an inconsistency b/t a fictional or nonfictional character's perception of a situation and the truth of that situation

Back 42

dramatic irony

Front 43

when a writer appeals to the reader's emotions to excite them or involve them in the argument

Back 43

emotional appeal

Front 44

the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme

Back 44

epigraph

Front 45

repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect
ex:of the people, for the people, ect.

Back 45

epistrophe

Front 46

when a writer tries to persuade the audience to respect and believe him or her based on a presentation of image of self through the text.
-to gain audience's confidence

Back 46

ethical appeal

Front 47

a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable

Back 47

euphemism

Front 48

a succession of harmonious sounds used in poetry or prose
the opposite of cacophony

Back 48

euphony

Front 49

an individual instance taken to be representative of a general pattern

Back 49

example

Front 50

the art of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text

Back 50

explication

Front 51

the immediate revelation to the audience of the setting and other background info necessary for understanding the plot; explanation

Back 51

exposition

Front 52

a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit.

Back 52

extended metaphor

Front 53

when two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connection b/t them

Back 53

false analogy

Front 54

language that contains figures of speech, in order to create associations that are imaginative rather than literal

Back 54

figurative language

Front 55

expressions that make imaginative, rather than literal, comparisons or associations
ex: similes, metaphors, and personification

Back 55

figures of speech

Front 56

the use of hint or clue to suggest a larger event that occurs late in the work

Back 56

foreshadowing

Front 57

sentence consisting of three or more very short independent clauses joined by conjuctions

Back 57

freight-train

Front 58

A.P Language and Composition
Rhetorical Terms and Glossary

Back 58

abstract - freight train