Terms to review for the AP exam
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| 8489366942 | allusion | an implicit reference within a literary work to a historical or literary person, place or event ("Don't act like a Romeo in front of her." - "Romeo" is a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet") | 0 | |
| 8489366943 | paralipsis | drawing attention to something by claiming not to mention it (We will not speak of Ms. McArdle's indiscretion here; how she got five of her test questions from SparkNotes) | 1 | |
| 8489366944 | metaphor | a figure of speech comparing to unlike things without using like or as (life is but a walking shadow) | 2 | |
| 8489366945 | aphorism | a concise statement of a truth or principle (The early bird gets the worm) | 3 | |
| 8489366946 | parallelism | phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other (I came, I saw, I conquered) | 4 | |
| 8489366947 | euphemism | an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive (saying "passed" instead of "died") | 5 | |
| 8489366948 | epithet | any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality ("Shoeless Joe Jackson," "Richard the Lionheart," "The Brooklyn Bomber") | 6 | |
| 8489366949 | antithesis | the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance ("Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more") | 7 | |
| 8489366950 | paradox | a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth ("And all men kill the thing they love...") | 8 | |
| 8489366951 | ellipsis | the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced for the context ("Some people prefer cats; others, dogs") | 9 | |
| 8489366952 | hyperbole | a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor (Ms. McArdle is a total psychopath with her tests) | 10 | |
| 8489366953 | consonance | the repetition of consonants (or consonant patterns) especially at the ends of words ("We rush into rain that rattles double glass") | 11 | |
| 8489366954 | periphrasis | substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a name, "fickle mistress" for luck, "big man upstairs" for God | 12 | |
| 8489366955 | synaesthesia | describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("loud color" or "sweet sound") | 13 | |
| 8489366956 | meiosis | understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) (Mercutio, after being mortally wouned, says his wound is only "a scratch") | 14 | |
| 8489366957 | apostrophe | figure of speech in which someone (usually absent), some abstract quality, or some nonexistent personage is directly addressed as though present | 15 | |
| 8489366958 | asyndeton | a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions (I shot, scored, ran. It was ridiculous) | 16 | |
| 8489366960 | cliche | an overused saying or idea | 17 | |
| 8489366961 | metonymy | substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself (as in "they counted heads") | 18 | |
| 8489366963 | in medias res | in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things | 19 | |
| 8489366964 | delayed / periodic sentence | A sentence that withholds its main idea until the end. | 20 | |
| 8489366965 | chiasmus | a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("When the going gets tough, the tough get going") | 21 | |
| 8489366966 | analogy | drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect | 22 | |
| 8489366968 | bathos | insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity | 23 | |
| 8489366969 | cacophony | loud confusing disagreeable sounds (puke, snot, barf) | 24 | |
| 8489366970 | euphony | any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds (butterfly, lovely, bright) | 25 | |
| 8489366971 | juxtaposition | placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast | 26 | |
| 8489366972 | simile | a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with 'like' or 'as') | 27 | |
| 8489366973 | repetition | the repeated use of the same word or word pattern as a rhetorical device | 28 | |
| 8489366974 | polysyndeton | using several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted (as in 'he ran and jumped and laughed for joy') | 29 | |
| 8489366975 | colloquialism | a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't) | 30 | |
| 8489366976 | anachronism | something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred (In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, characters refer to clocks which did not exist in ancient Rome) | 31 | |
| 8489366977 | personification | giving human characteristics to something that is not human | 32 | |
| 8489366978 | pathetic fallacy | The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature (angry clouds; a cruel wind) | 33 | |
| 8489366979 | oxymoron | conjoining contradictory terms (as in 'deafening silence') | 34 | |
| 8489366980 | aposiopesis | when the speaker or writer deliberately stops short and leaves something unexpressed, but yet obvious, to be supplied by the imagination | 35 | |
| 8489366981 | synecdoche | Uses a part to explain a whole or a whole to explain a part ("lend me an ear," "want to take a ride in my new wheels?") | 36 | |
| 8489366982 | alliteration | use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse (run rascal rapidly) | 37 | |
| 8489366983 | pun | play on words (I see said the blind man as he pick up his hammer saw) | 38 | |
| 8489366984 | symbol | something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible (an eagle representing freedom) | 39 | |
| 8489366985 | mixed metaphor | a combination of two or more metaphors that together produce a ridiculous effect | 40 | |
| 8489366986 | epistrophe | The figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in a sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases (of the people, by the people, for the people) | 41 | |
| 8489366987 | anaphora | repetition of a word or phrase as the beginning of successive clauses | 42 | |
| 8489366988 | archetype | A 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 response (the hero-quest journey, the trickster, etc.) | 43 | |
| 8489366989 | canon | an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works (the works of Homer, The American literary _____, Shakespeare) | 44 | |
| 8489366990 | conceit | a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects | 45 | |
| 8489366991 | rhetoric | the art of using language effectively and persuasively | 46 | |
| 8489366992 | rhetorical context | the circumstances in which a text is written, including the intended audience, the author's aim or purpose in writing, and the audience's preexisting ideas and opinions | 47 | |
| 8489366993 | rhetorical device | a specific method used in writing or speaking in which language is used to influence or persuade an audience | 48 | |
| 8489366994 | situational irony | occurs when the outcome of a work is unexpected, or events turn out to be the opposite from what one had expected | 49 | |
| 8489366995 | hubris | the character flaw or error of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall | 50 | |
| 8489366996 | dramatic irony | (theater) irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play | 51 | |
| 8489366998 | sarcasm | sneering and often ironic language intended to hurt a person's feelings | 52 | |
| 8489366999 | irony | a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs | 53 | |
| 8489367000 | satire | the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions | 54 | |
| 8489367001 | zeugma | the use of a word to modify two or more words, but used for different meanings (He closed the door and his heart on his lost love.) | 55 | |
| 8489367002 | rhetorical question | a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer | 56 | |
| 8489367003 | onomatopoeia | a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum. | 57 | |
| 8489367004 | ad hominem | In an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning "against the man." | 58 | |
| 8489367005 | allegory | an expressive style that uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances | 59 | |
| 8489367006 | anecdote | a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event | 60 | |
| 8489367007 | antecedent | the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers | 61 | |
| 8489367008 | comic relief | A humorous scene or speech intended to lighten the mood | 62 | |
| 8489367009 | connotation | refers to the implied or suggested meanings associated with a word beyond its dictionary definition | 63 | |
| 8489367010 | deductive reasoning | reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case (The sun rises every morning; therefore, the sun will rise on Tuesday morning.) | 64 | |
| 8489367011 | inductive reasoning | deriving general principles from particular facts or instances ("Every cat I have ever seen has four legs; cats are four-legged animals"). | 65 | |
| 8489367012 | denotation | The dictionary definition of a word | 66 | |
| 8489367013 | dialect | a variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region | 67 | |
| 8489367014 | diction | the manner in which something is expressed in words | 68 | |
| 8489367015 | didactic | having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing | 69 | |
| 8489367016 | nostalgic | wishing for a return to the way things used to be; longing for the past; homesick | 70 | |
| 8489367017 | epigraph | The use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme. | 71 | |
| 8489367018 | imagery | The use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience | 72 | |
| 8489367019 | inference | the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation | 73 | |
| 8489367020 | invective | abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will | 74 | |
| 8489367021 | logical fallacy | An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid | 75 | |
| 8489367022 | motif | a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design | 76 | |
| 8489367023 | parody | a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way | 77 | |
| 8489367024 | pathos | a style that has the power to evoke feelings | 78 | |
| 8489367025 | pedantic | excessively concerned with book learning and formal rules | 79 | |
| 8489367026 | style | the unique way an author presents his ideas--diction, syntax, imagery, structure, and content all contribute to this | 80 | |
| 8489367027 | syllogism | a three-part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise ("All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal.") | 81 | |
| 8489367028 | syntax | the rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language | 82 | |
| 8489367029 | theme | a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work | 83 | |
| 8489367030 | tone | the quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the author | 84 | |
| 8489367031 | transition | a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. | 85 | |
| 8489367032 | voice | a means or agency by which something is expressed or communicated (an author's way of using language to reflect his or her attitude) | 86 | |
| 8489367033 | inversion (anastrophe) | the reversal of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase | 87 | |
| 8489367034 | parallelism | phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other | 88 | |
| 8489367035 | atmosphere | a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing | 89 | |
| 8489367036 | logos | an appeal based on logic or reason | 90 | |
| 8489367037 | ethos | The appeal of a text to the credibility and character of the speaker, writer, or narrator | 91 | |
| 8489367038 | ambiguity | The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. | 92 | |
| 8489367039 | annotation | the act of adding notes | 93 | |
| 8489367040 | prose | the ordinary form of written language | 94 | |
| 8489367041 | semantic | referring to the relationships between words and meanings | 95 | |
| 8489367042 | non sequitur | a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it | 96 | |
| 8489367043 | red herring | any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue | 97 | |
| 8489367045 | analysis | a form of literary criticism in which the structure of a piece of writing is analyzed | 98 | |
| 8489367046 | categorization | the act of distributing things into classes or categories of the same type | 99 | |
| 8489367047 | hasty generalization | drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence | 100 | |
| 8489367048 | figurative language | Writing or speech that is used to create vivid impressions by setting up comparisons between dissimilar things, [examples are metaphor, simile, and personification.] | 101 | |
| 8489367049 | generalization | When a writer bases a claim upon an isolated example or asserts that a claim is certain rather than probable. Sweeping _________ occur when a writer asserts that a claim applies to all instances instead of some. | 102 | |
| 8489367050 | metacognition | thinking about how you think | 103 | |
| 8489367051 | egoism | excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others; selfishness | 104 | |
| 8489367052 | utilitarianism | idea that the goal of society should be to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people | 105 | |
| 8489367054 | premise | a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn | 106 | |
| 8489367055 | straw man | a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position | 107 | |
| 8489367056 | genre | a kind of literary or artistic work | 108 | |
| 8489367065 | tonal shift | An author's change from one emotional style to another during a work. | 109 | |
| 8489367066 | primary source | text that tells a first-hand account of an event; original works used when researching (letters, journals) | 110 | |
| 8489367067 | secondary source | Text and/or artifacts that are not original, but written from something original (biographies, magazine articles, research papers). | 111 | |
| 8489367068 | thesis | The sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition. | 112 | |
| 8489367069 | claim | an assertion that something is true or factual | 113 | |
| 8489367070 | spatial | where a place is located and its physical relationship to other places, people, or environments (a physical description) | 114 | |
| 8489367071 | Double Entendre | a statement that has two meanings, one of which is dirty or vulgar | 115 | |
| 8489367073 | propaganda | ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause | 116 | |
| 8489367074 | eulogy | a formal statement of commendation; high praise (does not always need to be given when a person dies) | 117 | |
| 8489367075 | persona | the speaker, voice, or character assumed by the author of a piece of writing | 118 |
