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AP List Flashcards

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9291127107AnaphoraRepetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of tow or more sentences in a row (this makes the writer's point more coherent) EX: Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.0
9291146254AnastropheInversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence. (Purpose is its rhythm, emphasis, or euphony) Fancy word for inversion1
9291176172AntimetaboleRepetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order (in poetry: chiasmus)2
9291190011AntithesisBalancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure. EX: "Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit." - Aristotle3
9291209769AntiheroCentral character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes. (May lack courage, grace, intelligence, or moral scruples)4
9291216446AphorismBrief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, a principle, or accepted general truth.5
9291224576ApostropheCalling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or an abstract idea. (if to a god/goddess: invocation)6
9291255291AppositionPlacing in immediately succeeding order of two or more coordinate elements, the latter of which is an explanation, qualification, or modification of the first EX: The dining room, the noisiest part of the house, is a terrible place to be.7
9291304127AsyndetonCommas used without conjunction to separate a series of word, thus emphasizing the parts equally EX: An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was thick, warm, heavy, sluggish. - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad8
9291319413BalanceConstructing a sentence so that both halves are about the same length and importance9
9291324912Static characterOne who does not change much in the course of a story10
9291329566Dynamic characterOne who changes in some important way as a result of the story's action11
9291336504Flat characterHas only one of two personality traits12
9291341226Round characterHas more dimensions to their personalities; they are complex like real people13
9291346928ChiasmusIn poetry, a type of rhetorical balance in which the second part is balanced against the first, but with the parts reversed (prose: antimetabole)14
9291358705ConceitAn elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different (often an extended metaphor) EX: The Flea by John Donne15
9291388600Confessional poetryA 20th century term used to describe poetry that uses intimate material from the poet's life16
9291393405DidacticA form of fiction/nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking EX: Animal Farm by George Orwell17
9291434036EpanalepsisDevice of repetition in which the same expression (single word of phrase) is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line, clause, or sentence EX: "Common sense is not so common." - Voltaire18
9291444353EpigraphA quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of a theme EX: F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a quote at the beginning of The Great Gatsby "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once."19
9291474335EpistropheDevice of repetition in which the same expression (single word or phrase) is repeated at the end of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences (opposite of anaphora)20
9291485562EpithetAn adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality21
9291491095Homeric epithetA compound adjective used with a person or thing EX: "swift-footed Achilles" "rosy-fingered dawn"22
9291521002ExplicationAct of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text, usually involves close reading and special attention to figurative language23
9291554488FarceA type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in silly, far-fetched situations EX: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett24
9291595627FoilA character who acts as a contrast to another character; often a funny side kick to the dashing hero, or a villain contrasting the hero EX: Draco Malfoy25
9291618806HypotacticSentence marked by the use of connecting words between clauses or sentences, explicitly showing the logical or other relationship between them EX: Everything will be alright because mother said so.26
9291636776InversionThe reversal of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase27
9291658298Verbal ironyThis occurs when someone says one thing but really means something else28
9291904804Situational ironyThis takes place when there is a discrepancy between what is expected to happen, or what would be appropriate to happen, and what really does happen29
9291914417Dramatic ironyThis is so called because it is often used on stage; a character in the play or story thinks one thing is true, but the audience or reader knows better30
9291997065JuxtapositionPoetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, creating an effect of surprise and wit31
9292179355LitotesA form of understatement in which the positive form is emphasized through the negation of a negative form32
9292185741Loose sentenceOne in which the main clause comes first, followed by further dependent grammatical units33
9292192713Lyric poemA poem that does not tell a story but expresses the personal feelings or thoughts of the speaker34
9292196950Implied metaphorA type of metaphor that does not state explicitly the two terms of the comparison EX: Andy's wife asked him to fetch their dinner. (Compares Andy to a dog)35
9292208829Extended metaphorA type of metaphor that is extended or developed as far as the writer wants to take it EX: The world is a stage, where everyone is a player, and then the curtain falls.36
9292219460Dead metaphorA type of metaphor that has been used so often that the comparison is no longer vivid EX: Eye of the storm37
9292225563Mixed metaphorA type of metaphor that has gotten out of control and mixes its terms so that they are visually or imaginatively incompatible EX: We have to get all our ducks on the same page.38
9292255405MetonymyA figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing is referred to by something closely associated with it EX: The White House called for a press conference.39
9292261160MotifA recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work, unifying the work by tying the current situation to previous ones, or new ideas to the theme40
9292277929KoanA paradox used in Zen Buddhism to gain intuitive knowledge EX: When you can do nothing, what can you do?41
9292300599Paratactic sentenceA sentence that simply juxtaposes clauses or sentences (different from asyndeton because of use of conjunctions) EX: Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline.42
9292329326PeriodicA sentence that places the main idea or central complete thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements EX: With low taxes, beautiful views and a mild climate, this city is a great place to live.43
9292348448PolysyndetonA sentence which uses a conjunction with NO commas to separate the items in a series EX: X and Y and Z (instead of X, Y, and Z)44
9292354013SynecdocheA figure of speech in which a part represents the whole EX: I'm paying with plastic (credit card).45
9292425779Syntactic fluencyAbility to create a variety of sentence structures, appropriately complex and/or simple and varied in length46
9292433703Syntactic permutationSentence structures that are extraordinarily complex and involved; often difficult for a reader to follow47
9292451485Telegraphic sentenceA sentence shorter than five words in length48
9292453515TricolonA sentence of three parts of equal importance and length, usually three independent clauses49

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