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AP Language and Composition Terms Flashcards

Summer assignment 2016

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4777658942alliterationa number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series eg: she sells sea shells0
4777752718allusiona brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance eg: "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her."1
4777753969anadiplosisthe repetition of a word or words in successive clauses in such a way that the second clause starts with the same word which marks the end of the previous clause eg: "When I give, I give myself."2
4777758833anaphorathe deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect eg: "Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better"3
4777760214anastrophethe order of the noun and the adjective in the sentence is exchanged eg: How wonderful the weather is today!4
4777764329antimetabolerepeating a phrase in reverse order eg: "Eat to live, not live to eat."- Socrates5
4777767091antithesisa rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect eg: Speech is silver, but silence is gold.6
4777768974aphorisma statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner eg: Youth is a blunder; Manhood a struggle; Old age regret. [Benjamin Disraeli]7
4777771507apostrophea figure of speech sometimes represented by exclamation "O". A writer or a speaker detaches himself from the reality and addresses an imaginary character in his speech. eg: "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky."8
4777777080appositiona noun or word is followed by another noun or phrase that renames or identifies it eg: "We were waiting outside the condemned cells, a row of sheds fronted with double bars, like small animal cages." (A Hanging by George Orwell) In this line, "the condemned cells" is a noun phrase, while "a row of sheds" is an appositive that explains this noun phrase.9
4777782959assonancewhen two or more words close to one another repeat the same vowel sound but start with different consonant sounds eg: "Men sell the wedding bells."10
4777784395asyndetona stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy. This literary tool helps in reducing the indirect meaning of the phrase and presents it in a concise form. eg: Without looking, without making a sound, without talking11
4777788439circumlocutiona rhetorical device that can be defined as an ambiguous or paradoxical way of expressing things, ideas or views eg: In the Harry Potter series, the dark lord Voldemort is frequently referred to as: You-know-who He-who-must-not-be-named12
4777793920climaxhighest point of a narrative13
4777793921consonancerepetitive sounds produced by consonants eg: The ship has sailed to the far off shores.14
4777795312denotationliteral meaning eg: Dove- a type of bird15
4777795992connotationsymbolic meaning eg: A dove is used to suggest peace or gentility.16
4777796789dictionstyle of speaking or writing by choice of words17
4777798280ellipsisomit some parts of a sentence for reader to fill in gaps eg: "I went to the mall on Monday, and she on Sunday."18
4777799772epanalepsisrepeating the initial word or words of phrase at the end of same clause eg: "*The man who did the waking* buys the man who was sleeping a drink; the man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from *the man who did the waking.*" (Jack Sparrow, The Pirates of the Caribbean)19
4777802719epistropherepetition of phrases or words at the end of clauses or sentences eg: Hourly joys be still upon you! Juno sings her blessings on you. . . . Scarcity and want shall shun you, Ceres' blessing so is on you."20
4777803718euphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant eg: He passed away. (He died.)21
4777804457extended metaphorA metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.22
4777805740figures of speechExpressions, such as similes, metaphors, and personifications, that make imaginative, rather than literal, comparisons or associations.23
4777805741foreshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.24
4777806477hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor eg: She's as big as an elephant!25
4777806478imageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)26
4777807210verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant27
4777808637situational ironyAn outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected28
4777809730dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.29
4777810795malapropisma word humorously misused eg: "Alcoholics Unanimous" instead of "Alcoholics Anonymous".30
4777811711metaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared. eg: Don't be a chicken!31
4777812570moodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader32
4777812571motivationa reason behind a character's actions and behaviors33
4777815694narrationthe act or process of telling a story34
4777818044onomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents. eg: Dad released a belch from the pit of his stomach.35
4777818045oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. eg: deafening silence36
4777818763paradoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. eg: "I can resist anything but temptation." - Oscar Wilde37
4777819831parallelismPhrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other eg: Easy come, easy go.38
4777820552periphrasisa stylistic device that can be defined as the use of excessive and longer words to convey a meaning which could have been conveyed with a shorter expression or in a few words eg: using "I am going to" instead of "I will"39
4777825730personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes eg: Winnie the Pooh40
4777826431plotSequence of events in a story41
4777827508point of viewThe perspective from which a story is told eg: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person42
4777828867polysyndetonDeliberate use of many conjunctions eg: "And Joshua, and all of Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had." (The Bible)43
4777831424prosodythe study of meter, intonation, and rhythm of a poetic work44
4777833207protagonistMain character45
4777834314punA humorous play on words eg: Santa's helpers are known as subordinate Clauses.46
4777835467repetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis47
4777835468rhetorical questionA question asked merely for effect with no answer expected.48
4777836583rhymeCorrespondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry. eg: Cheap sheep49
4777837140sarcasmthe use of irony to mock or convey contempt50
4777837873satireA 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.51
4777838792settingThe context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.52
4777838793shift or turna change or movement in a piece resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader53
4777841002simileA comparison using "like" or "as" eg: "He is as brave as a lion."54
4777842138sound deviceselements such as rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, and onomatopoeia - gives poetry a musical quality55
4777852913structureframework that underlies the order and manner in which a narrative is presented56
4777871995styleThe author's choices regarding language, sentence structure, voice, and tone in order to communicate with the reader.57
4777943311suspenseA feeling of uncertainty and curiosity about what will happen next in a story; key element in fiction and drama; "hook" writer uses to keep audience interested58
4777944354symbolA thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.59
4777946148synecdocheA figure of speech in which a part is substituted for the whole. eg: The word "sails" refers to a whole ship.60
4777947275syntaxThe arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.61
4777950447themeCentral idea of a work of literature62
4777950448toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.63
4777952506understatementthe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is. eg: "It rained a bit more than usual" while describing an area being flooded after heavy rainfall.64

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