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Literary Terms - AP Language Flashcards

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5001918715Ad Hominuma logical fallacy in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument0
5001927159Allegorya story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one1
5001933554Allusiona reference to something or someone from religion, history, literature/mythology2
5001937100Alliterationthe repetition of sounds at the beginnings of words very close together3
5001949831Apostrophenot to be confused with the punctuation mark, this literary device addresses some abstraction or personification not physically present4
5001957510Aphorisma pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."5
5001970001Analogya comparison in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it; it aims at explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something familiar; metaphors and similes are tools used to draw this6
5001978356Anaphorathe deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect7
5001993621Anecdotea short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person8
5001998127Antithesisthe rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery")9
5002011186Archaicword choice that is old or outdated10
5002014906Asyndetonomission of the conjunctions that ordinarily join coordinate words or clauses ( as in "We ran, laughed, loved.")11
5002021974Cacophonyharsh, discordant mixture of sounds12
5002027505Chiasmus (Antimetabole)a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures produces an artistic effect ("Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you")13
5002039344Colloquialisma word or phrase not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation14
5002043724Conceitan extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem15
5002047754Connotationyour own definition of a word based on your personal and emotional associations to it16
5002051460Cumulative Sentencean independent clause followed by a series of dependent clauses ( ex: "He dipped his hands in the bichloride solution and shook them--a quick shake, fingers down, like the fingers of a pianist above the keys.")17
5002068587Denotationthe dictionary definition of a word18
5002070522Detailan individual or minute part - one that supports a greater good19
5002073725Dictionword choice20
5002077001Didacticdescribes writing intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive21
5002082270Ellipsisthe leaving out of one or more words not necessary for a phrase to be understood (...)22
5002087388Epiphanythat moment in the story where a character achieves realization, awareness or a feeling of knowledge after which events are seen through the prism of this new light in the story23
5002095232Ethospersuasive appeals that refer to the trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker24
5002099419Euphamisma kinder, gentler way of saying a brutal truth25
5002112197Figurative languagelanguage used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways26
5002119596Genrea category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter27
5002127631Homilya religious discourse that is intended primarily for spiritual edification rather than doctrinal instruction; a sermon28
5002133110Hyperbolean exaggeration in literature29
5002135328Imagerywriting that appeals to the five senses30
5002139403Invectiveinsulting, abusive, or highly critical language31
5002150130Ironya contrast between what the expectations of a situation are and what is really the case (can be dramatic, verbal or situational)32
5002156770Juxtapositionthe act of placing two or more things side-by-side to emphasize their differences33
5002161893Litotesunderstatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary (ex: you won't be sorry, MEANING you'll be glad)34
5002176778Logosrefers to the logical consistency of the message -- the clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence35
5002183186Metaphora figure of speech that compares (either directly or indirectly/implied) two unlike things without using"like" "as" or "than"36
5002194864Metonymy (Synecdoche)figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated (sometimes the name of a part that makes up the whole - ex: suit is used to refer to a business executive)37
5002203802Motifa distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition38
5002209364Non Sequitura conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement39
5002212999Onomatopeiawords spelled exactly as they sound40
5002215598Oxymorona combination of contradictory words side-by-side (ex: cruel kindness)41
5002219513Pacingthe movement of a literary piece from one point or section to another42
5002224598Parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses (ex: "I came, I saw, I conquered" - because all phrases begin with "I" and all verbs are past tense, this creates parallel structure)43
5002240677Parodyan imitation of a particular writer, artist or a genre, exaggerating it deliberately to produce a comic effect44
5002246810Paradoxa seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true45
5002253014Pathosoften associated with emotional appeal; persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions46
5002258738Pedantican adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish47
5002268193Periodic Sentencea long and frequently involved sentence, marked by suspended syntax, in which the sense is not completed until the final word (ex: With a quick shake, fingers down, like the fingers of a pianist above the keys, he dipped his hands in the bichloride solution.")48
5002283040Personificationa figure of speech that gives human qualities to non-human things49
5002294712Point of Viewthe perspective from which a story is told (first person, third person omniscient, or third person limited omniscient)50
5002308031Polysyndentonliterary device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to suggest a list is endless (much like the asyndeton)51
5002315767Repititiona literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer52
5002324044Rhetorical Questiona question asked merely for effect with no answer expected53
5002327374Sarcasmverbal irony used to mock or convey contempt54
5002330173Satirea work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule55
5002337124Shifta change in the mood, tone, or subject matter of a piece of literature56
5002339859Similea figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things (like,as,than)57
5002344971Stylean evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices58
5002351157Syllepsisa kind of ellipsis in which one word (usually a verb) is understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it governs (like zeugma)59
5002360850Syllogismfrom the Greek for "reckoning together," a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (first "major," second "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion (ex: All men are mortal, Socrates is mortal)60
5002378113Symbolanything that represents or stands for something else (natural, conventional, literary)61
5002382517Synecdochea literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part (similar to metonymy - ex: the phrase "gray beard" refers to an old man)62
5002394999Syntaxthe way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences; a set of language rules that dictate how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought63
5002405588Tautologya formula that is true in every possible interpretation; redundancies of propositional logic64
5002415894Tonesimilar to mood, describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both65
5002420347Understatementthe ironic minimalizing of fact, presenting something as less significant than it is66
5002428691Zeugmarhetorical term for the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words (that usually come after it) although its use may be grammatically or logically correct with only one (ex: "You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit.")67
5765829645AnadiplosisRepeating the last word of a clause at the beginning of he next clause68
5765829646Double entendreA phrase or figure of speech that could be understood in two different ways69
5765829647EpithetDescribes a place, a thing or a person in such a way that it helps in making the characteristics of a person, thing or place more prominent than they are70
5765829648EpistropheRepeats the ends of successive clauses with the same word71
5765829649MalapropismThe accidentally humerous use of an incorrect word in place of another word with a similar sound72
5765829650ParaleipsisRhetorical device in which an idea is deliberately suggested through a brief treatment of a subject while most of the significant points are omitted73
5765829651ProlepsisAnticipation; device showing events expected to happen74
5765829652SynaesthesiaConfusing of the senses75
5765829653VernacularThe use of ordinary, everyday and plain language in speaking or writing76
5765829654WitThe clever expression of ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure77

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