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25 Cards in this Set
- Front
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oxymoron
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From the Greek for “pointedly foolish,” and oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include “jumbo shrimp,” “cruel kindness,” or kind-hearted henchman.”
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periphrasis
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using a longer expression or word in place for a short one. Ex. The answer is correct.
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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. The first scene of Macbeth, for example, closes with the witches’ cryptic remark “ fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
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Parallelism
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It refers to grammatical or rhetorical framing words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve,repetition of grammatical element such as preposition or verbal phrase. An example of parallelism begins Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities:It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
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Parody
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A work that closely imitates the style or content or another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. As a comedy, parody distorts or exaggerates distinctive features of the original. As ridicule, it mimics the work by repeating and borrowing words, phrases, or characteristics in the original.
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Pedantic
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an adjective that describes words, phrases, or a general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.
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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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The first person narrator tells the story with the first person pronoun, “I,” and is character in the story. This narrator can be the protagonist, a participant, or an observer. The third person narrator relates the events with the third person pronouns, “he,” “she,” and “it.” There are two main subdivisions to be aware of omniscient and limited omniscient. In the “third person omniscient” point of view, the narrator, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any and all characters. This all-knowing narrator can reveal what each character feels and thinks at any given moment. The “third person limited omniscient” point of view, as its name implies, presents feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all remaining characters.
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Prose
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one of the major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all of its forms, because they are written in ordinary language and most closely resemble everyday speech. Technically, everything that isn’t poetry or drama is prose. Of course, prose writers often borrow poetic and dramatic elements.
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Pun
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a clever use of a word that suggests two or more meanings or sounds like a similar word with a different meaning. Ex: It’s raining cats and dogs; I just stepped in a poodle.
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Repitition
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the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a word, sound, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern. When repetition is done poorly, it bores, but when it’s done well, it links and emphasizes ideas while allowing the reader the comfort of recognizing something familiar.
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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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Sarcasm
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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’s simply cruel.
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Satire
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work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform humans and their society, satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. IThe effects of satire are varied, depending on the writer’s goal, but good satire, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition.
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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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Simile
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comparison of two unlike objects introduced by “like” or “as.” Ex. The young child had cheeks like roses.
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Spoonerism
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transposition usually of the initial sounds of two or more words. Ex: “Roaring with pain” instead of “Pouring with rain.”
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Style
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An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.We can analyze and describe an author’s personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author’s purpose.-Classifications of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparisons, one can see how an author’s style reflects a and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental, or realist movement.
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Symbol/Symbolism
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Natural symbols use objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them. Conventional symbols are those that have been invested with meaning by a group; national symbols, such as a flag or an eagle; or group symbols, such as a skull and crossbones for pirates or scales of justice for lawyers).Literary symbols are sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are generally recognized.
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Synecdoche
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an expression in which part is used for a whole, or a whole is used for a part. Ex: All hands on deck.
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Syntax
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the way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of syntax as the groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words.
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Theme
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the central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually the theme is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly stated, especially in expository or persuasive writing.
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Tone
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Similar to mood, tone describes the author’s attitude toward his/her material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author’s tone.
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Understatement
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the ironic minimizing of fact, instatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole.
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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 remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. Historically, wit originally meant basic understanding. Its meaning evolved to include speed of understanding and finally (in the early 17th century), it grew to mean quick perception including creative fancy.
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