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AP Language Rhetoric and Tone Flashcards

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6263809783adagea proverb or wise saying commonly used (ex: Things are not always as they seem.)0
6263809784allegorya story in which people, things and happenings have a hidden or symbolic meaning.(fables, parables, apologue have meanings on two or more levels.)1
6263809785alliterationwords used in quick succession and begin with letters belonging to the same sound group; a repetition of similar sounds/letters in the sentence. (Wicked witch of the west went her own way.)2
6263809786allusiona passing reference to a commonly-known historical, cultural, religious, literary, or mythical person, place, event, or work of art, whereby the reader must make the connection within the current text.3
6263809787ambiguitymultiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, passage or sentence; can lead reader toward uncertainty of meaning4
6263809788analogyestablishing a relationship based on similarities between two concepts or ideas; helps convey meaning of a new idea5
6263809789anaphorathe deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect; most commonly found in the Bible (O Lord,.for I am weak.O Lord, heal me. O Lord, have mercy on me.)6
6263809790anecdoteshort and interesting story or an amusing event often proposed to support or demonstrate some point and make readers and listeners laugh; Anecdotes can include an extensive range of tales and stories7
6263809791antecedentword, phrase, or clause that is replaced by a pronoun8
6263809793antithesisparallel structures of the contrasted phrases or clauses, i.e. the structures of phrases and clauses are similar in order to draw the attention of the listeners or readers; Ex: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."9
6263809794apostrophespeaker talks to someone or something that is obviously not present10
6263809795appositivea renaming of a noun or noun phrase immediately after first stating the noun11
6263809796archetypeA detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response12
6263809797argumenta statement put forth and supported by evidence13
6263809798asyndetonauthor purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical accuracy of the phrase; shortening the statement for greater impact; "Reduce, reuse, recycle."14
6263809799audiencethose to whom a piece of literary work is being presented15
6263809800cacophonyTremendous noise, disharmonious sound16
6263809801characterizationActions, dialogue, and narrative description that reveal a sense of a character's personality to the reader.17
6263809802circumlocutionan indirect or wordy way of expressing an idea which leaves the reader perplexed; exaggeratedly long and complex sentences in order to convey a meaning that could have otherwise been conveyed through a shorter, much simpler sentence18
6263809803climaxthat point in a plot that creates the greatest intensity, suspense, or interest. Also called "turning point"19
6263809804colloquialCharacteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing20
6263809805concessionAn argumentative strategy by which a speaker or writer acknowledges the validity of an opponent's point.21
6263809806conceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects; unusual and unlikely comparisons between two things22
6263809807connotationassociations people make with words that go beyond the literal or dictionary definition23
6263809808contextThe parts before or after a word or statement that influence its meaning24
6263809809counter argumentan argument or set of reasons put forward to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument.25
6263809811denotationDictionary definition of a word; literal meaning26
6263809812denouementan outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot27
6263809813detailThe facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in a piece of poetry or prose.28
6263809814dictionA writer's or speaker's choice of words29
6263809815elegya mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.30
6263809816ellipsisin a sentence, the omission of a word or words replaced by three periods ...31
6263809817epicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society32
6263809818ethosOne of the fundamental strategies of argumentation identified by Aristotle.33
6263809819euphemismFrom the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept - POLITICALLY CORRECT34
6263809820expositionBackground information presented in a literary work.35
6263809821foreshadowingForeshadowing is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story; builds suspense/anxiety36
6263809822genreA category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.37
6263809824hyperboleA figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. (The literal Greek meaning is "overshoot.") Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible.38
6263809825imageryuse of words and phrases to create "mental images" for the reader; helps the reader visualize more realistically the author's writings through the usage of metaphors, allusions, descriptive words and similes39
6263809827inversionA sentence in which the verb precedes the subject.40
6263809828verbal ironySarcasm; what is said is the opposite of what is meant41
6263809829juxtapositionplacing an idea next to its opposite to emphasize contrast and comparison42
6263809831logosAn appeal to reason.43
6263809832metaphorA figurative comparison of two unlike things without using the word like or as44
6263809833metonymy(mĕtŏn′ ĭmē) A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example, a news release that claims "the White House declared" rather than "the President declared" is using metonymy; Shakespeare uses it to signify the male and female sexes in As You Like It: "doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat." The substituted term generally carries a more potent emotional impact.45
6263809834moodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader; using specific diction, description, setting, and characterization to create the atmosphere46
6263809835motifA recurring theme, subject or idea47
6263809836mytha traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.48
6263809837narrativea fiction, nonfiction, poetic, or dramatic story, actual or fictional, expressed orally or in text.49
6263809838non sequiturA statement that does not follow logically from evidence50
6263809839occasionthe time and place a speech is given or a piece is written51
6263809840onomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Ex: buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur.52
6263809841organizationIn a composition, the arrangement of ideas, incidents, evidence, or details in a perceptible order in a paragraph or essay.53
6263809842oxymoronA figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms; The richest literary oxymora(paradoxes) seem to reveal a deeper truth through their contradictions. Ex: "without laws, we can have no freedom." Shakespeare's Julius Caesar also makes use of a famous oxymoron: "Cowards die many times before their deaths"54
6263809843paceSpeed with which the author delivers the story controlled by language, mood, emotion played out in speech, dialogue, descriptions.55
6263809844parableA simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson56
6263809845paradoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.57
6263809846parallel structurerepetition of the same pattern of words or phrases within a sentence or passage to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.58
6263809847parodyA humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing59
6263809848pastoralA work of literature dealing with rural life60
6263809849pathosAn appeal to emotion. This is one of the fundamental strategies of argumentation identified by Aristotle.61
6263809851personaAn individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.62
6263809852personificationauthor presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.63
6263809853point of viewPerspective from which a story is told; omniscient point of view= the person telling the story or narrator knows everything that's going on in the story; first- person point of view the narrator is a character in the story; limited third-person point of view the narrator is outside the story- like an omniscient narrator- but tells the story from the vantage point of one character."64
6263809855propagandaA negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information.65
6263809856prosewritten or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.66
6263809857purposeOne's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing.67
6263809858refutationThe part of an argument wherein a speaker or writer anticipates and counters opposing points of view.68
6263809859repetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis69
6263809860rhetoricFrom the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.70
6263809861rhetorical appealsRhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. The three major appeals are to ethos (character), logos (reason), and pathos (emotion).71
6263809862rhetorical questionA question whose answer is assumed; a rhetorical question is designed to force the reader to respond in a predetermined manner and to propel an argument emotionally.72
6263809864satireA 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.73
6263809865simileA comparison of two things using like or as74
6263809866soliloquyA dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts without addressing a listener.75
6263809867symbolismAn ordinary object with an extraordinary significance76
6263809868synecdocheA figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole (as hand for sailor), the whole for a part (as the law for police officer), the specific for the general (as cutthroat for assassin), the general for the specific (as thief for pickpocket), or the material for the thing made from it (as steel for sword).77
6263809869syllogismA form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.78
6263809870syntaxLanguage rules that govern how words can be combined to form meaningful phrases and sentences79
6263809871thesisFocus statement of an essay; premise statement upon which the point of view or discussion in the essay is based.80
6263809872toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.81
6263809873transitionA word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph82
6263809874voiceIn grammar, a term for the relationship between a verb and a noun (active or passive voice). In rhetoric, a distinctive quality in the style and tone of writing.83
6263937035inductive reasoningmoves from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories.84
6263939843deductive reasoningmoves from general ideas and theories to more specific observations and details.85
6263948279abstractionan idea dissociated from any specific instance; expresses a quality apart from an object.86
6263951480aesthetica guiding principle in matters of artistic beauty and taste; artistic sensibilty87
6263966571aphorisma brief saying embodying a moral, a concise statement of a principle or precept given in pointed words.88
6263985096assonancethe repetition of vowel sounds but not consonant sounds89
6263993833bildungsromana genre of literature that denotes the story of a single individual's growth and development within the context of a defined social order.90
6264001996chiasmusrepetition of ideas in inverted order91
6264012133dialecta regional variety of language.92
6264021777didactictone; instructional, designed to teach an ethical, moral, or religious lesson93
6264084817dramatic monologuea character addresses a distinct but silent audience imagined to be present in the work in such a way as to reveal a dramatic situation and, often unintentionally, some aspect of his or her temperament or personality94
6264099115elegiactone; of, relating to, or involving elegy or mourning or expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past.95
6264111800epistropheEnding a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words. The opposite of anaphora.96
6264121370idiolecta person's own personal language, the words they choose and any other features that characterize their speech and writing97
6264128519idiomaticof or pertaining to, or conforming to, the mode of expression peculiar to a language98
6264134510invectiveof, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse99
6264141476situational ironywhat happens is the opposite f what is expected100
6264141478dramatic ironythe audience is aware of something the characters onstage are unaware of101
6264153702polysyndetonthe use of many conjunctions that has the effect of slowing the pace or emphasizing the numerous words or clauses102
6264163854stream of consciousnesstechnique that records the thoughts and feelings of a character without regard to logical argument or narrative sequence103
6264178971vernacularthe characteristic of language of a particular group; often slang or informal104

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