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AP Language Study Set Flashcards

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6800062381ad hominem fallacyattacks the person instead of the argument0
6800062382allegorya story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one1
6800062383alliterationrepetition of beginning sounds2
6800062384allusiona passing reference to a work of literature or historical event3
6800062385ambiguityuncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language4
6800062386analogya comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification5
6800062387anecdotea short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person6
6800062388antecedentthe word a pronoun replaces7
6800062389antithesisa figure of speech in which an opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed by parallelism of words that are the opposites of, or strongly contrasted with, each other8
6800062390aphorisma pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."9
6800062391apostrophea figure of speech in which the writer or speaker addresses an imaginary person or one who is not there10
6800062392anadiplosisa rhetorical device in which a writer or speaker uses a word near the end of the clause and then repeats that word to begin the next clause. Anadiplosis is used to bring attention to a specific thing or concept11
6800062393assonancerepetition of a vowel soun d12
6800062394backingsupport for an argument which typically includes facts, statistics, or examples13
6800062395bandwagon appealalso known as the ad populum fallacy. Can appeal to patriotism, loyalty, or religious fervor.14
6800062396begging the questionalso known as circular reasoning, doesn't actually support the argument, but just re-states it.15
6800062397chiasmusa rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form. For example, "Don't count the days; make the days count."16
6800062398claima point or assertion in an argument17
6800062399claim of factposits whether something is true or untrue, but there must always be room for controversy18
6800062400claim of valueestablishes standards of evaluation or advantage19
6800062401claims of policyproposes a clear course of action20
6800062402clausea unit of grammar which ranks below a sentence and includes both a subject and a verb21
6800062403colloquialisma word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation22
6800062404conceitan extended metaphor23
6800062405connotationthe associations a word produces24
6800062406consonancerepetition of consonant sounds25
6800062407deductive reasoning"top-down" logic, or the process of reasoning from one or more statements (premises) to reach a logically certain conclusion26
6800062408denotationthe dictionary definition of a word27
6800062409dictionrefers to word choice; can be formal or informal28
6800062410didacticmeant to teach a lesson29
6800062411ethoscreated by choosing language that is appropriate for the audience and topic, making yourself sound fair or unbiased, introducing your expertise or pedigree, etc.30
6800062412ironywhen the unexpected happens31
6800062413euphemisma mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing32
6800062414figurative languagenot literal; includes techniques such as simile, metaphor, and personification33
6800062415foreshadowinghints or clues of what's to come34
6800062416genrea type of style of writing35
6800062417hasty generalizationmakes a general assumption based on one or two experiences. Stereotyping and sexism often fall into this category36
6800062418hyperboleextreme exaggeration37
6800062419Horatian satiremild or humorous criticism of human folly38
6800062420imagerysensory detail -- especially visual detail -- in literature39
6800062421inductive reasoninglogic based on observation or generalization40
6800062422inferencea conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning41
6800062423Juvenalian satireprovokes dark humor and criticizes corruption42
6800062424juxtapositionthe fact of two things being seen or placed close together, often with contrasting effect43
6800062425litotesironical understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary (e.g., you won't be sorry, meaning you'll be glad)44
6800062426logosappeals to logic using facts, statistics, historical examples, etc.45
6800062427loose sentencealso called a cumulative sentence, a type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) is elaborated by the addition of modifying phrases or clauses46
6800062428syllogisma type of logical deduction involving a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion47
6800062429metonymywhen a related object stands for the thing itself (ex: "the crown" to refer to the monarch)48
6800062430moodthe feeling created in the reader or audience49
6800062431narrativea spoken or written account; a story50
6800062432non sequitora conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement51
6800062433onomatopoeiathe formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle)52
6800062434oxymorona figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., faith unfaithful kept him falsely true)53
6800062435paradoxa seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true54
6800062436parodyan imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect55
6800062437pathoscan be developed by using meaningful language, emotional tone, emotion evoking examples, stories of emotional events, and implied meanings56
6800062438pedanticnarrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned57
6800062439periodic sentencein rhetoric, a complex sentence in which the main clause is left unfinished until the end in order to create the effect of anticipation or suspense58
6800062440personificationhuman characteristics given to non-human entities59
6800062441post hoc, ergo propter hocliterally "after, therefore because of," this logical fallacy implies cause and effect where none exists60
6800062442fallacya mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument61
6800062443predicate adjectivean adjective appearing in the predicate of a sentence or clause and modifying the grammatical subject of the sentence or clause. Typically, a predicate adjective follows the verb to be, but it could also follow a linking verb62
6800062444predicate nominativea noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb that restates or stands for the subject. For example: Mary is my sister63
6800062445proseregular writing or speech; not poetic64
6800062446qualifiera word or phrase that changes how absolute, certain or generalized a statement is65
6800062447rebuttala refutation or contradiction66
6800062448shifta change in mood, tone, or message67
6800062449similea comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as"68
6800062450symbolsomething which stands for both itself and something else69
6800062451synecdochewhen the part stands for the whole, or vice versa70
6800062452syntaxsentence structure, organization, and type71
6800062453understatementthe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is72
6800062454tonethe speaker's attitude toward the subject73
6800062455polysyndetonthe use of several conjunctions in quick succession74
6800062456asyndetonthe absence of conjunctions where they would normally be present75
6800062457zeugmaa figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses (e.g., John and his license expired last week) or to two others of which it semantically suits only one (e.g., with weeping eyes and hearts)76
6800062458jargona type of diction which involves special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand77
6800062459false dilemmaalso known as false dichotomy; presents an either/or situation where none exists78
6800062460equivocationuses a word or phrase to join together two arguments that don't belong together79
6800062461straw man fallacycreates a false opponent and tears that person down80
6800062462anaphorathe repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses81
6800062463enumeratioa figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something82
6800062464amplificationa rhetorical device writers use to embellish a sentence or statement by adding further information83

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