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AP Language Review Terms Flashcards

These terms are used on the AP English Language Exam.

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6818201758abstractADJ. theoretical; not concrete; non-representational.0
6818201759affectationputting on airs; pretending to feelings or knowledge one does not have; not genuine or authentic, pretension1
6818201760allegoryA story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.2
6818201761allusion/allusivean implied or indirect reference through a name or a quotation familiar to most educated people3
6818201762ambivalentHaving mixed or opposing feelings at the same time4
6818201763analogy/extended metaphorA comparison of two different things that are similar in some way5
6818201764anecdoteA brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event.6
6818201765antithesisBalancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure7
6818201766appeal to authorityAppeals to an authority to support a position, idea, argument, or course of action8
6818201767appeal to emotion/pathosAppeal to emotion9
6818201768acerbicBiting, bitter in tone or taste10
6818201769cadenceRhythmic rise and fall11
6818201770capriciousChanging suddenly, fickle (Her ______ moods are difficult to anticipate. )12
6818201771circumlocutionA roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.13
6818201772colloquialCharacteristic of writing that seeks the effect of informal spoken language as distinct from formal or literary English.14
6818201773conciliatoryOVERCOMING DISTRUST OR HOSTILITY15
6818201774concrete dictionwords that refer to things, as opposed to abstract words that refer to ideas and feelings16
6818201775condescending(adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing17
6818201776conditions of rebuttal(v.) to offer arguments or evidence that contradicts an assertion; to refute, in the Toulmin scheme, the anticipation and addressing of counter-arguments18
6818201777dialectA regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.19
6818201778dictionword choice20
6818201779effusivegushing; excessively demonstrative21
6818201780euphemismA mild, indirect, or vague term substituting for a harsh, blunt, or offensive term22
6818201781familiar styleconversational or colloquial tone23
6818201782formal stylethe language used in public speech, such as lectures, sermons, writing, and political addresses24
6818201783idiomAn expression that cannot be understood if taken literally (ex- "Get your head out of the clouds")., A common expression or traditional way of saying something.25
6818201784imageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)26
6818201785impressionistic stylelanguage that uses images to convey an atmosphere or mood27
6818201786irateAngry, incensed28
6818201787lyricalSonglike; characterized by emotions, subjectivity, and imagination.29
6818201788metaphorfigure of speech comparing two different things30
6818201789mockingSatirical, treating with contempt or ridicule, Making fun of something31
6818201790onomatopoeiaA 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.32
6818201791oratoricalrelating to the art of public speaking33
6818201792parallelismPhrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other34
6818201793paradoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.35
6818201794pedanticCharacterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules36
6818201795point of viewIn literature, the perspective from which a story is told.37
6818201796pretensionA Claim to something; an unwarranted or false claim, as to merit, importance, or wealth38
6818201797rebuttalA counterargument, especially in debate39
6818201798refutationA denial of the validity of an opposing argument. In order to sound reasonable, a refutation often follows a concession that acknowledges that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable. One of the stages in classical oration, usually following the confirmation, or proof, and preceding the conclusion, or peroration.40
6818201799rhetoricFrom the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.41
6818201800satireA work that reveals a critical attitude toward some element of human behavior by portraying it in an extreme way. It doesn't simply abuse (as in invective) or get personal (as in sarcasm). It targets groups or large concepts rather than individuals.42
6818201801slangA kind of language occurring chiefly in casual and playful speech, made up typically of short-lived coinages and figures of speech43
6818201802stridentLOUD; HARSH; UNPLEASANTLY NOISY44
6818201803syntaxLanguage rules that govern how words can be combined to form meaningful phrases and sentences45
6818201804terseBrief and to the point, laconic, concise46
6818201805thesisFocus statement of an essay; premise statement upon which the point of view or discussion in the essay is based.47
6818201806toneAttitudes and presuppositions of the author that are revealed by their linguistic choices (diction, syntax, rhetorical devices)48
6818201807understatementA figure of speech in which a writer deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is.49
6818201808reductio ad absurdemmethod of refutation that suggests the other arguer's position leads to unacceptable implications.50
6818201809false dilemmaA fallacy of oversimplification that offers a limited number of options (usually two) when in fact more options are available.51
6818201810begging the questionAssumes something to be true that needs proof52
6818201811syllogismA FORM OF DEDUCTIVE REASONING THAT HAS A MAJOR PREMISE, A MINOR PREMISE, AND A CONCLUSION53
6818201812hasty generalizationA fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence.54
6818201813slippery slopeA fallacy that assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented55
6818201814appeal to false authoritya claim that uses as evidence the testimony of someone who is not an expert on the topic56
6818201815bandwagonA fallacy which assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable.57
6818201816sentimental appeala fallacy of argument in which an appeal is based on excessive emotion58
6818201817non sequiturA statement that does not follow logically from evidence59
6818201818ad hominemIn an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning "against the man."60
6818201819post hoc ergo propter hocThis fallacy is Latin for "after which therefore because of which," meaning that it is incorrect to always claim that something is a cause just because it happened earlier. One may loosely summarize this fallacy by saying that correlation does not imply causation. Also called "faulty causality."61
6818201820straw man argumentoversimplification of an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack62
6818201821either-or argumenta logical fallacy that oversimplifies to suggest that only two possible positions exist on a complex issue. False dilemma63
6818201822ellipsisIndicated by a series of three periods, the "..." indicates that some material has been omitted from a given text.64
6818201823analogyA comparision between an unfamilar idea, thing, or situation and something the audience already understands65
6818201824didactic1. A term used to describe fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking. 2. Excessively instructive66
6818201825euphonypleasant, harmonious sound67
6818201826moral equivalencecompares minor problems with much more serious crimes (or vice versa): "Our new president is like Hitler."68
6818201827snob appealArguments that distract by making the audience want to feel "special." Make the consumer feel like if they buy the product they will be part of an elite or exclusive group.69
6818201828invective(n.) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj.) abusive, vituperative70
6818201829ambivalenceThe state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes71
6818201830double entendrea statement that has two meanings, one of which is dirty or vulgar72
6818201831nostalgia(n.) a longing for something past; homesickness73
6818201832homogeneityevenness; uniformity74
6818201833epithetA descriptive word or phrase occurring with or in place of the name of a person or thing. An insulting or demeaning word or phrase.75

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