Ap Lang Terms

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Anecdote

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A brief recounting of a relevant story. These are usually inserted in larger pieces of literature

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Colloquialism

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The use of slang of informalitites in speech or writing. Colloquial expressions include local or regional dialects

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Cumulative

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A sentence which begins with the main idea and then expands on that idea with a series of details/particulars

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Extended metaphor

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A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work. "Huswifery" is an example

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Generic conventions

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This term describes traditions for each genre. Differentiating between an autobiography and a political work

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Hyperbole

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A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement

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Irony

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The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant. The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. In general, the three types of irony are verbal, situational, and dramatic.

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Mood

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1. atmosphere of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. 2. Grammatical verbal units, Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative

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Negative Positive

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also called antithesis; brings out contrast in ideas; "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

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Onomatopoeia

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A word which imitates a sound. bam, crash, slooop

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Parody

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A conscious imitation of a piece of literature usually in order to ridicule it or to exaggerate some aspect of it. SNL is an example

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Personification

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A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions

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Rhetorical modes

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Exposition: analyze and explain. Argumentation: convince a listener. Description: recreate a place, time, event, thin. Narration: tell a story

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Situational irony

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When the opposite of what you expect happens in a piece of literature

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Syntax

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An author's chosen word order in a specific situation

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Theme

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The major idea or ideas passed along by a piece of literature

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Claim

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A topic and a formed opinion on that topic, presented as one sentence.

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Grounds

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Evidence for your claim; facts, data, stories, etc

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Warrant

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The unstated assumption underlying a claim. The fact that allows the claim to be made

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Rebuttal

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A rebuttal acknowledges the limitations to your claim

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Concession

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brings differing opinions together by acknowledging a part of the opposing argument cannot be refuted. A way to make everyone happy :)

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Invention

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A brainstorm, pre-write

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Arrangement

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A particular order or pattern for your writing

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Style

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How one chooses to write his/her piece, including grammatics, ornamentation, etc

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Examples

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A doi doi. every fact, allusion, anything you've learned

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Delivery

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How your material is presented; read, spoken aloud, etc

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Authority

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Ethos; when a writer uses the influence of an accepted authority to strengthen his argument

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Pathos

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appeal to emotions, riling people up, or making them feel bad for you/ your cause. Think of the sad dog commercials

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Logic

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Logos, using facts to prove a point

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Backing

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Evidence/ support/ grounds/ whatever

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Causal Relationship

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When a writer proves that one thing causes another as a part of his argument

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Invective

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Abusive or denunciating language

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Oversimplification

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When a writer obscures or denies the complexity of an issue. "If we had less homework, there would be less childhood depression"

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Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

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When a writer implies that because something follows another, is caused the other. "Ever since Teddy moved to walls, everybody's been dressing so much better" :D

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Red Herring

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When a writer raises an irrelevant issue to draw attention from the real issue. "I suck at soccer? Well, you're ugly"

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Non-Sequitur

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A statement that is not logically connected to another one. Random stuff

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Ad Hominem

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Joanin;When a writer argues by attacking his opponent personally instead of his arguments "Your head bout flat as a plate, boi"

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Begging the Question

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Circular logic; when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim. "Organic food is good for you because it's organic"

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Circular reasoning

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Same as begging the question

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Either/ Or Fallacy

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Also known as a false dilemma; When a person says there are just two choices when there are actually more

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Equivocation

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When a key term has one meaning in one part of an argument and another in another part. "All men are rational/ No women are men/ ergo, no women are rational"

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Slippery-Slope

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Also called foot-in-the-door or floodgate fallacy. When a person argues that one thing will inevitably result from another

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You Also (Tu Quoque)

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Asserts a statement is false because it is inconsistent with that the speaker has said or done.

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Doubtful Authority

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Asking Snoop Dawg about the war in Libya lls

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Misuse of Statistics

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When data is misrepresented.

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Bandwagon

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Also called Ad Populum appeal. When one tries to convince people that something is true because it is widely held to be true

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Using ellipsis marks and setting of long quotes

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Don't use ellipsis unless abbreviating a sentence/ words end before sentence does. If quote is 4+ lines, indent one inch

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Integrating literary quotations

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refer to speaker talking, or to work itself, maybe even name the speaker talking

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Avoiding shifts in tense

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make sure the tense of the quote and signal phrase match, you can include the verbs in your phrase, or do this: He said that he "love[s] to fart" etc

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In-text citations

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make sure authors name is mentioned, either in the signal phrase itself, or in parentheses with the page number of the work. (Rycroft, flash card #44) etc.