Ap Language And Composition Vocabulary 1

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Allegory

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a story in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface story. an extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric

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Alliteration

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The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to one another; for example, "beautiful blossoms blooming between the bushes"

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Allusion

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A reference to another work or famous figure that is assumed to be well-known enough to be recognized by the reader

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Anachronism

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An event, object, custom, person, or thing that is out of order in time; sometimes unintentional an other times intentionally for humorous or satiric effect

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Analogy

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A comparison of two similar but different things, usually to clarify an action or a relationship, such as comparing the work of a heart to that of a pump

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Anaphora

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Specific type of repetition; word phrase, or clause repeated at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row

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Anecdote

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

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Aphorism

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A short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life

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Apostrophe

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Usually in poetry but sometimes in prose; the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction

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Argumentation

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writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation

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Assonance

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The repetition of vowel sounds between different consonants, such as in neigh/fade

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Authority

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Support for an argument that is based on recognized experts in the field

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Burlesque

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Broad parody; whereas a parody will imitate and exaggerate a specific work, such as Romeo and Juliet, a burlesque will take an entire style or form, such as myths, and exaggerate it into rediculousness

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Cacophony

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

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Caricature

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

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Classicism

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The principles and styles admired in the classics of Greek and Roman literature, such as objectivity, sensibility, restraint, and formality

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Coherence

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

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Colloquialism

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

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Conceit

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An elaborate figure of speech in which two seemingly dissimilar things or situations are compared

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Connotation

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

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Consonance

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The repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after different vowel sounds, as in boost/ best; it can also be seen withing several compound words, such as fulfill and Ping-Pong

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Conundrum

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

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Denotation

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Literal meaning of a word as defined

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Description

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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

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Diction

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Word choice, an element of style; also called syntax

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Discourse

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Spoken or written language, including literary works; the four traditionally classified modes of discourse are description, exposition, narration, and persuasion

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Dissonance

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Harsh or grating sounds that do not go together

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Epigram

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A concise, witty saying in poetry or prose that either stands alone or is part of a larger work; it may also refer to a short poem of this type

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Euphony

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

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Exemplum

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A brief tale used in medieval times to illustrate a sermon or to teach a lesson

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Exposition

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The immediate revelation to the audience of the setting and other background information necessary for understanding the plot; also, explanation; one of the four modes of discourse

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Figurative Language

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Language that contains figures of speech, such as similes, metaphors, and personifications, that make imaginative, rather than literal, comparisons or associations

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Folklore

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Traditional stories, songs, dances, and customs that are preserved among a people; folklore usually precedes literature, being passed down orally form generation to generation until recorded by scholars

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Foreshadowing

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

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Genre

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A type of literary work, such as a novel or poem; there are also subgenres, such as science fiction or sonnet, within the larger genres

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Hubris

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The excessive pride or ambition that leads a tragic hero to disregard warnings of impending doom, eventually causing his or her downfall

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Humor

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Anything that causes laughter or amusement; up until the end of the Renaissance, humor meant a person's temperment

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Hyperbole

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deliberate exaggeration in order to create humor or emphasis