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83 Cards in this Set

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From the Latin meaning "to or against the man," this is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather than intellect
Ad hominem argument
The device using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.For example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. This meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.
Allegory
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells"). The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, and/or supply a musical sound.
Alliteration
A direct or indirect reference to something that is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. They can be historical (like referring to Hitler), literary (like referring to Kurtz in Heart of Darkness), religious (like referring to Noah and the flood), or mythical (like referring to Atlas).
Allusion
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Ambiguity
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. It can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with, or pointing out its similarity to, something more familiar. They can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, and intellectually engaging.
Analogy
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
Antecedent
A figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentences within a balanced grammatical structure. The resulting parallelism serves to emphasize opposition of ideas. The familiar phrase "Man proposes, God disposes" is an example of this, as is John Dryden's description in The Hind and the Panther: "Too black for heaven, and yet too white for hell."
Antithesis
A terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb." It can be a memorable summation of the author's point.
Aphorism
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. 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."
Apostrophe
The emotional mood 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 this. Frequently, it foreshadows events.
Atmosphere
A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject's distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect. Sometimes it can be so exaggerated that it becomes a grotesque imitation or misrepresentation.Synonymous words include burlesque, parody, travesty, satire, lampoon.
Caricature
A figure of speech based on inverted parallelism. It is a rhetorical figure in which two clauses are related to each other through a reversal of terms. The purpose is usually to make a larger point or to provide balance or order. In classical rhetoric, the parallel structures did not repeat words, such as found in Alexander Pope's Essay on Man: "His time a moment, and a point his space." However, contemporary standards allow for repeated words; a commonly cited example comes from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address: ". . .ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."
Chiasmus
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.
Clause
Slang or informality in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, it gives work a conversational, familiar tone. This expression in writing includes local or regional dialects.
Colloquialism
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. It displays intellectual cleverness due to the unusual comparison being made.
Conceit
The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. It may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes.
Connotation
The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.
Denotation
Related to style, it refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
Diction
It literally means "instructive." Its works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles.
Didactic
From the Greek for "good speech," they are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts. It 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 this.
Euphemism
A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.
Extended metaphor
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
Figurative language
A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Figures of speech include, for example, apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement.
Figure of speech
This term describes traditions for each genre. These conventions help to define each genre; for example, they differentiate between an essay and journalistic writing or an autobiography and political writing.
Generic conventions
The major category into which a literary work fits.
Genre
This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
Homily
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. They often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, they produce irony at the same time.
Hyperbole
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstraction. On a physical level, it uses terms related to the five senses; we refer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory.
Imagery
To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.
Inference/infer
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language
Invective
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what actually is true.
Irony/ironic
(Type of irony) The words literally state the opposite of the writer's true meaning
Verbal irony
(Type of irony) events turn out the opposite of what was expected. What the characters and readers think ought to happen does not actually happen.
Situational irony
(Type of irony) Facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.
Dramatic irony
Placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
Juxtaposition
A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many of these often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational.
Loose sentence
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Its language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful
Metaphor
A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," it is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it.
Metonymy
This term has two distinct technical meanings. The first meaning is grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker's attitude. The indicative is used for only factual sentences. The subjunctive is used for a doubtful or conditional attitude. The imperative is used for commands. The second meaning of this is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work.
Mood
The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.
Narrative
A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.
Onomatopoeia
From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," this is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a parodox.
Oxymoron
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.
Paradox
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 repetition of a grammatical element such as preposition or verbal phrase.
Parallelism
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
Parody
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, and bookish.
Pedantic
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.
Periodic sentence
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
The perspective from which a story is told.
Point of view
(Division of point of view) Narrator tells the story with the pronoun, "I," and is a character in the story.
First-person narrator
(Division of point of view) Narrator tells the story with third-person pronouns, "he," "she," and "it."
Third-person narrator
One type of subject complement--an adjective, 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.
Predicate adjectives
A second type of subject complement--a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. It follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the of the sentence.
Predicate nominative
One of the major divisions of genre, it refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms, because they are written in ordinary language and most closely resemble everyday speech.
Prose
The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.
Repetition
From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.
Rhetoric
Employs logical reasoning, combining a clear idea (or multiple) with well-thought-out and appropriate examples and details.
Logos
Establishes credibility in the speaker.
Ethos
Plays on reader's emotions and interests.
Pathos
To explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion.
Exposition (expository writing)
To prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, thoughtful discussion, and insightful argument that thoroughly convince the reader.
Argumentation
A question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply. The answer is assumed.
Rhetorical question
From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," it involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.
Sarcasm
A work that targets human vices and follies, or social institutions and conventions, for reform or ridicule.
Satire
An explicit comparison, normally using "like," "as," or "if."
Simile
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.
Style
The word or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either 1) renaming it or 2) describing it.
Subject complement
This word group contains both a subject and a verb, but cannot stand alone.
Subordinate clause
From the Greek for "reckoning together," this is a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises and a sound conclusion
Syllogism
Something concrete that represents something more abstract.
Symbol
(Type of symbol) use objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them.
Natural symbols
(Type of symbol) have been invested with meaning by a group
Conventional symbols
(Type of symbol) Found in a variety of works and are generally recognized.
Literary symbols
The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. "Group" of words.
Syntax
The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.
Theme
The sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition.
Thesis
Describes the author's attitude toward his or her material.
Tone
A word or phrase that links different ideas.
Transition
The ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is
Understatement
(Type of understatement) a figure of speech by which an affirmation is made indirectly by denying its opposite.
Litotes
The Greek term for understatement or belittling; a rhetorical figure by which something is referred to in terms less important than it really deserves.
Meiosis
Is intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.
Wit