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40 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Allegory |
story/poem where characters, settings, and events stand for other people/events or abstract ideas/qualities |
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Alliteration |
repetition of consonant sounds in words spaced closely together |
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Allusion |
reference to someone/something known from history, religion, literature, politics, sports, other cultures, etc. |
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Ambiguity |
deliberately suggesting two or more different or conflicting ideas for an event (it can be interpreted in more than one way); this is done so on purpose, or the author risks vagueness |
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Diction |
style-related; refers to author's word choice, specifically with regard to cleanliness, validity, or effectiveness |
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Juxtaposition |
two words/phrases placed close together for comparison/contrast |
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Paradox |
a statement appearing to be self-contradictory, or against common sense, but upon inspection contains some degree of truth/validity |
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Pedantic |
adjective describing words, phrases, or general tone which is overly academic, bookish, or scholarly |
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Syntax |
the way an author joins words into phrases, clauses, or sentences - the grammatical makeup of writing |
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Parallelism |
also called parallel construction or parallel structure; refers to grammatical/rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity |
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Personification |
figure of speech; author endows animals, concepts, or inanimate objects with human attributes/emotions |
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Tone |
describes author's attitude toward material and/or audience - considering how it would sound if read aloud can help identify tone |
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Transition |
a word/phrase that links different ideas (especially shifting from one to another) |
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Hyperbole |
figure of speech - deliberate overstatement or exaggeration; usually has comic effect, but can be serious, often induces irony |
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Understatement |
ironic minimalizing of fact; presenting something less significantly than it is - frequently humorous |
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Theme |
central idea/message of a text (its life insight); unstated in fiction, but usually stated in nonfiction such as expository or argumentative |
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Euphemism |
more agreeable/less offensive substitute for an unpleasant word/concept; could follow social/political standards or add humor/irony |
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Connotation |
non-literal, associative meaning of a word (suggested/implied meaning); involves ideas, emotions, attitudes |
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Denotation |
literal definition of a word, devoid of emotion/attitude |
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Polysyndeton |
series of conjunctions (FANBOYS) not normally found in successive words, phrases, or clauses: deliberate and excessive use for emphasis |
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Asyndeton |
list which omits conjunctions, bringing a sense of unrehearsed multiplicity to the subject |
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Oxymoron |
figure of speech; author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest paradoxes (e.g. "cruel kindness") |
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Figurative Language |
inaccurate words or phrases when viewed literally, these are symbolic descriptors (e.g. metaphors or similes) |
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Style |
evaluation of the sum of an author's use of diction, syntax, and figurative language choices |
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Anecdote |
a brief story told to illustrate a point or serve as an example |
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Local Color |
the uniqueness of a setting; developed by highlighting this setting: customs, clothing, dialect, landscape, etc. |
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Metonymy |
noun is referred to by something closely associated with it (e.g. white house = government) |
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Synecdoche |
part represents the whole (e.g. wheels = car) |
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Anaphora |
deliberate repetition of the first part of a sentence (has artistic effect) |
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Analogy |
comparison of two unlike things: aims to explain one with the other |
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Synesthesia |
depiction of a strong connection between different senses (e.g. smelling a color) |
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Cacophony |
use of strong words/phrases which imply strong/harsh sounds; jarring, dissonant feel creates a disturbing, objectionable atmosphere |
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Stream of Consciousness |
person's thoughts and reactions to events perceived and written as a continuous flow |
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Author Bias |
author displays a personal (sometimes unreasonable) judgment |
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Implications |
writing conveys, suggests, or hints at something without directly stating it |
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Motif |
recurring subject, theme, or idea, especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work |
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Epistrophe
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repeating the end of multiple lines, clauses, or sentences (similar to anaphora)
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Apostrophe
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directly addressing an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, as something that cannot answer
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Colloquialism
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use of slang or informal tone in writing; has a conversational effect, such as in local or regional dialect
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Antithesis
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using contrary phrases close to each other in a sentence; when done well, it creates a balanced sentence
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