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67 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
allegory
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The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal
meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. |
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alliteration
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The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in “she sells sea
shells”). Although the term is not frequently in the multiple choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage. |
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allusion
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A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place,
or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. |
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ambiguity
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The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
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analogy
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A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain
something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. |
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antecedent
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The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP language exam occasionally asks for the antecedent of
a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences. A question from the 2001 AP test as an example follows: “But it is the grandeur of all truth which can occupy a very high place in human interests that it is never absolutely novel to the meanest of minds; it exists eternally, by way of germ of latent principle, in the lowest as in the highest, needing to be developed but never to be planted.” The antecedent of “it” (bolded) is...? [answer: “all truth”] |
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antithesis
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the opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite.
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aphorism
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A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is
unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author’s point. |
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apostrophe
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A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty
or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, “Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: / England hath need of thee.” Another example is Keats’ “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” in which Keats addresses the urn itself: “Thou still unravished bride of quietness.” Many apostrophes imply a personification of the object addressed. |
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atmosphere
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The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the
author’s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently atmosphere foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create a mood. |
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caricature
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a verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person’s distinctive physical
features or other characteristics. |
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clause
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A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete
thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the author subordinates one element should also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing. |
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colloquial/colloquialism
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The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing,
colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects. |
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conceit
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A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar
objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness as a result of the unusual comparison being made. |
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connotation
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The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas,
emotions, or attitudes. |
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denotation
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The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color. (Example: the denotation
of a knife would be a utensil used to cut; the connotation of a knife might be fear, violence, anger, foreboding, etc.) |
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diction
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Related to style, diction refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or
effectiveness. For the AP exam, you should be able to describe an author’s diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author’s purpose. Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author’s style. |
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didactic
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From the Greek, didactic literally means “teaching.” Didactic words have the primary aim of teaching or instructing,
especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. |
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euphemism
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From the Greek for “good speech,” euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally
unpleasant word or concept. The euphemism may be used to adhere to standards of social or political correctness or to add humor or ironic understatement. Saying “earthly remains” rather than “corpse” is an example of euphemism. |
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extended metaphor –
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A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.
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figurative language
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Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and
vivid. |
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figure of speech
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– A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Figures of speech include
apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement. |
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generic conventions
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This term describes traditions for each genre. These conventions help to define each genre; for example,
they differentiate an essay and journalistic writing or an autobiography and political writing. On the AP language exam, try to distinguish the unique features of a writer’s work from those dictated by convention. |
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genre
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The major category into which a literary work fits
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homily
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This term literally means “sermon,” but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving
moral or spiritual advice. |
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hyperbole
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A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. (The literal Greek meaning is “overshoot.”)
Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, hyperbole produces irony. The opposite of hyperbole is understatement. |
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imagery
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– The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical
level, imagery uses terms related to the five senses: visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory. On a broader and deeper level, however, one image can represent more than one thing. For example, a rose may present visual imagery while also representing the color in a woman’s cheeks and/or symbolizing some degree of perfection. An author may use complex imagery while simultaneously employing other figures of speech, especially metaphor and simile. In addition, this term can apply to the total of all the images in a work. On the AP language exam, pay attention to how an author creates imagery and to the effect of this imagery. |
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inference/infer
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To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented
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invective
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an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
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irony/ironic
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The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to
be and what is actually true |
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litotes
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a form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its
opposite |
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loose sentence/non-periodic sentence
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A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by
dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. |
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metaphor
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A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other,
suggesting some similarity. |
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metonymy
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A term from the Greek meaning “changed label” or “substitute name,” metonymy is a figure of speech
in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it |
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mood
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The prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. Mood is similar
to tone and atmosphere. |
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narrative
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The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.
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onomatopoeia
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A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such
words as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. If you note examples of onomatopoeia in an essay passage, note the effect. |
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oxymoron
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From the Greek for “pointedly foolish,” an oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently
contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include “jumbo shrimp” and “cruel kindness.” This term does not usually appear in the multiple-choice questions, but there is a chance that you might find it in an essay. Take note of the effect that the author achieves with the use of oxymoron. |
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paradox
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A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains
some degree of truth or validity. (Think of the beginning of Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....”) |
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parallelism
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Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning “beside one
another.” It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. |
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anaphora
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A sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines
or sentences. MLK used anaphora in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech (1963). |
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parody
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A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. It
exploits peculiarities of an author’s expression (propensity to use too many parentheses, certain favorite words, etc.) Well-written parody offers enlightenment about the original, but poorly written parody offers only ineffectual imitation |
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pedantic
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– An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that
might be described as “show-offy”; using big words for the sake of using big words). |
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periodic sentence
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The opposite of loose sentence, a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end. This
independent clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone. |
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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. Personification is used to make these abstractions, animals, or objects appear more vivid to the reader. |
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point of view
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In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. There are two general divisions of point of view, and
many subdivisions within those. |
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prose
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one of the major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. In prose the printer
determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line. |
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repetition
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The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause,
sentence, or grammatical pattern |
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rhetoric
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From the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and
persuasively |
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rhetorical modes
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This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing.
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sarcasm
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From the Greek meaning “to tear flesh,” sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule
someone or something. 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. |
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satire
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A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.
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semantics
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The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their
connotations, and their relation to one another. |
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style
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(1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other
literary devices. 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. |
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subject complement
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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) or (2) describing it (the predicate adjective). |
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subordinate clause
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Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or
modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, the subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. |
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syllogism
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From the Greek for “reckoning together,” a syllogism (or syllogistic reasoning or syllogistic logic) is 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. |
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symbol/symbolism
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Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually a symbol is something
concrete -- such as an object, action, character, or scene – that represents something more abstract. However, symbols and symbolism can be much more complex. |
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synecdoche
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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. 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.” |
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synesthesia
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when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another. Ex: The sight of red ants makes
you itchy. |
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syntax
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The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.
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theme
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The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.
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thesis
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In expository writing, the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s
opinion, purpose, meaning, or position |
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tone
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Similar to mood, tone describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both.
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transition
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A word or phrase that links different ideas
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understatement
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the ironic minimalizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can
frequently be humorous and emphatic. |
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wit
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in modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while
suggesting the speaker’s verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive |