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Terminology for AP Language and Composition Flashcards

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4659263308AlliterationThe repetition of the same sound or beginning of consecutive0
4659273978AllusionAn indirect reference, often to another text or an histortic event1
4659286958AnalogyAn extended comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things2
4659291639AnaphoraThe repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses3
4659322564AnecdoteA short account of an intrestesting event4
4659331821AnnotationExplanatory or critical notes added to a text5
4659336261Antecedentthe noun to which a later pronoun refers6
4659370909AntimetaboleThe repetition of words in an inverterted order to sharpen a contrast.7
4659374560AntithesisParallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas8
4678673058AphorismA short, astute statement of a general truth9
4678674453AppositiveA word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun.10
4678675995Archaic dictionThe use of words common to an earlier time period; antiquated language.11
4678702346ArgumentA statement put forth and supported by evidence.12
4678702566Aristotelian triangleA diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience13
4678703075AssertionAn emphatic statement; declaration. An assertion supported by evidence becomes an argument.14
4678704847AssumptionA belief or statement taken for granted without proof.15
4678705767AttitudeThe speaker's position on a subject as revealed through his or her tone.16
4678706358AudienceOne's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.17
4678707186AuthorityA reliable, respected source—someone with knowledge.18
4678707828BiasPrejudice or predisposition toward one side of a subject or issue.19
4678708512CiteIdentifying a part of a piece of writing as being derived from a source.20
4678708794ClaimAn assertion, usually supported by evidence.21
4678709190Close readingA careful reading that is attentive to organization, figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary, and other literary and structural elements of a text.22
4678709786Colloquial/ismAn informal or conversational use of language.23
4678710131Common groundShared beliefs, values, or positions.24
4678711279Complex sentenceA sentence that includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.25
4678711787ConcessionA reluctant acknowledgment or yielding.26
4678712068ConnotationThat which is implied by a word, as opposed to the word's literal meaning (see denotation).27
4678713017ContextWords, events, or circumstances that help determine meaning.28
4678713407CoordinationGrammatical equivalence between parts of a sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction such as and, or but.29
4678714161CounterargumentA challenge to a position; an opposing argument.30
4678714690Cumulative sentenceAn independent clause followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail.31
4678715199Declarative sentenceA sentence that makes a statement.32
4678715572DeductionReasoning from general to specific.33
4678715903DenotationThe literal meaning of a word; its dictionary definition.34
4678716074DictionWord choice.35
4678716411DocumentationBibliographic information about the sources used in a piece of writing.36
4678716785ElegiacMournful over what has passed or been lost; often used to describe tone.37
4678717292EpigramA brief witty statement.38
4678717660EthosA Greek term referring to the character of a person; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals39
4678718068Figurative languageThe use of tropes or figures of speech; going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect40
4678718689Figure of speechAn expression that strives for literary effect rather than conveying a literal meaning.41
4678726056HyperboleExaggeration for the purpose of emphasis.42
4678726391ImageryVivid use of language that evokes a reader's senses (sight, smell, taste,touch, hearing).43
4678727255Imperative sentenceA sentence that requests or commands.44
4678727542InductionReasoning from specific to general.45
4678727985InversionA sentence in which the verb precedes the subject.46
4680521597IronyA contradiction between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and result.47
4680521953JuxtapositionPlacement of two things side by side for emphasis.48
4680523212LogosA Greek term that means "word"; an appeal to logic; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals49
4680523668MetaphorA figure of speech or trope through which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else, thus making an implicit comparison.50
4680523937MetonymyUse of an aspect of something to represent the whole.51
4680524591OccasionAn aspect of context; the cause or reason for writing.52
4680524903OxymoronA figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms.53
4680525132ParadoxA statement that seems contradictory but is actually true.54
4680525821ParallelismThe repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical patterns.55
4680526852ParodyA piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule.56
4680527272PathosA Greek term that refers to suffering but has come to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals57
4680528305PersonaThe speaker, voice, or character assumed by the author of a piece ofwriting.58
4680528868PersonificationAssigning lifelike characteristics to inanimate objects.59
4680529267PolemicAn argument against an idea, usually regarding philosophy, politics, or religion.60
4680529456PolysyndetonThe deliberate use of a series of conjunctions.61
4680530015Premise: major, minorTwo parts of a syllogism. The concluding sentence of asyllogism takes its predicate from the major premise and its subject from the minor premise.62
4680530531Major premiseAll mammals are warm-blooded.63
4680530975Minor premiseAll horses are mammals.64
4680531381ConclusionAll horses are warm-blooded65
4680531383PropagandaA negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information.66
4680531709PurposeOne's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing.67
4680532699RefuteTo discredit an argument, particularly a counterargument.68
4680533116RhetoricThe study of effective, persuasive language use; according to Aristotle,use of the "available means of persuasion."69
4680533516Rhetorical modesPatterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not limited to narration, description, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, definition, exemplification, classification and division, process analysis, and argumentation.70
4680534281Rhetorical questionA question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer.71
4680534414Rhetorical triangleA diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience72
4680534756SatireAn ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it.73
4680534912SchemeA pattern of words or sentence construction used for rhetorical effect.74
4680535135Sentence patternsThe arrangement of independent and dependent clauses into known sentence constructions—such as simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.75
4680535504Sentence varietyUsing a variety of sentence patterns to create a desired effect.76
4680535629SimileA figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two things.77
4680536174Simple sentenceA statement containing a subject and predicate; an independent clause.78
4680536435SourceA book, article, person, or other resource consulted for information.79
4680536570SpeakerA term used for the author, speaker, or the person whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing.80
4680536792Straw manA logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position.81
4680537172StyleThe distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of words and figures of speech.82
4680537389SubjectIn rhetoric, the topic addressed in a piece of writing.83
4680537847Subordinate clauseCreated by a subordinating conjunction, a clause that modifies an independent clause.84
4680538035SubordinationThe dependence of one syntactical element on another in a sentence.85
4680538148SyllogismA form of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion is supported by a major and minor premise86
4680538260SyntaxSentence structure.87
4680538594SynthesizeCombining or bringing together two or more elements to produce something more complex.88
4680538663ThesisThe central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer.89
4680538947Thesis statementA statement of the central idea in a work, may be explicit or implicit.90
4680539089ToneThe speaker's attitude toward the subject or audience.91
4680539541Topic sentenceA sentence, most often appearing at the beginning of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's idea and often unites it with the work's thesis.92
4680539696TropeArtful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral way; also called a figure of speech.93
4680539994UnderstatementLack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect.94
4680540105VoiceIn 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.95
4680540260ZeugmaA construction in which one word (usually a verb) modifies or governs—often in different, sometimes incongruent ways—two or more words in a sentence.96

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