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AP Language Terms Flashcards

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12350303661alliterationthe repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, "sally sells seashells"0
12350303662allusiona direct or indirect reference to something that is assumed to be commonly known1
12350303663ad hominem argumentan argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather than intellect, "against the man not the data"2
12350303664allegorya work that functions on a symbolic level, a type of extended symbolism3
12350303665ambiguitythe multiple meanings, intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage; or the sense of uncertainty that the work presents4
12350303666analogydrawing a comparison to another situation that applies to the original circumstance in order to show a similarity in some respect5
12350303667anaphorarepetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row6
12350303668antecedentthe word, phrase, or clause that a pronoun refers to7
12350303669antithesisa sentence or group of sentences that directly opposes or states the complete opposite of a given opinion; a figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentences within balanced grammatical structure8
12350303670apostrophewhen a speaker addresses someone or something that is either not present or inanimate9
12350303671argumentationwriting that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments10
12350303672assonancethe repetition of vowel sounds in successive words11
12350303673asyndetonthe absence of conjunctions when separating a series of words or clauses (A, B, C rather than A, B, and C)12
12350303674begging the questiona logical fallacy in which the asserted conclusion is based on a prior question that is only presumed settled13
12350303675amplificationthe repetition of a word or phrase, followed by additional information; it is used both to clarify and intensify the meaning of the original word14
12350303676colloquialismslang in writing, used often to create local color and to provide an informal tone15
12350303677connotationthe feelings or emotions associated with a word, beyond its literal meaning16
12350303678consonancerepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity17
12350303679contrasta manner of distinguishing two things or ideas by emphasizing their differences18
12350303680deductive reasoninga reasoning from general ideas and principles to particular, detailed facts19
12350303681denotationthe literal or dictionary meaning of a word20
12350303682descriptionwriting that intends to recreate, invert, or visually present a person, place event, or action so that the reader can picture what is being described21
12350303683dictionthe author's choice of words in creating tone, attitude, and style, as well as meaning22
12350303684didacticfiction or nonfiction that is excessively instructive23
12350303685dramatic ironya type of irony in which facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or a piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work24
12350303686ethosan appeal based on the character, reputation, or credibility of the speaker25
12350303687euphemisma more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable26
12350303688expositionwriting that intends to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion27
12350303689extended metaphora comparison introduced and then further developed throughout a literary work28
12350303690enumeratiospecific examples clarify and illustrate the point being established29
12350303691extended allusiona direct or indirect reference to something that is assumed to be commonly known that is repeated throughout a literary work30
12350303692extended symbolisma device in literature where the connection between an object and an idea is developed or recurring throughout a literary work31
12350303693false dichotomypresenting two alternatives that are not necessarily mutually exclusive as if they were, often ignoring other alternatives, an ultimatum32
12350303694figure of speecha device used to produce figurative language33
12350303695genrethe major category into which a literary work is sorted34
12350303696hyperboledeliberate exaggeration or overstatement35
12350303697hypophorafigure of speech in which a speaker answers his own otherwise-rhetorical question36
12350303698imagerydescriptive language that appeals to the the sense37
12350303699inductive reasoningreasoning from detailed facts to general principles38
12350303700inferto draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented39
12350303701juxtapositionplacing two elements side-by-side to present a comparison or contrast40
12350303702litotesa figure of speech in which the use of a double negative to generate a positive understatement, "the test was not bad"41
12350303703logical fallacya mistake in verbal reasoning that may seem to be sound42
12350303704logosan appeal based on logic or reason43
12350303705metaphora comparison of two unlike things, not necessarily using "like" or "as"44
12350303706metonymya type of metaphor in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it45
12350303707modes of discoursethe variety, conventions, and purpose of the major kinds of writing46
12350303708moodthe emotional context or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader, also called atmostphere47
12350303709narrativethe telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events48
12350303710narrative devicea tool of the storyteller, used most often in fiction but also in biographies and other narratives49
12350303711narrative techniquethe style of telling the story, used in both fiction and nonfiction50
12350303712paradoxa statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity51
12350303713parallelismsimilarity in structure and syntax in a series of related words, phrases, clauses, sentences, or paragraphs that develops balance52
12350303714parodya work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule53
12350303715pathosan appeal based on emotion54
12350303716personificationthe act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas or inanimate objects55
12350303717point of viewthe style of narration: first person, second person, third person limited, or third person omniscient56
12350303718polysyndetonuse of many conjunctions in close succession, with or without commas ("A and B and C and D" or "A, and B, and C, and D" rather than "A, B, C, and D")57
12350303719procatalepsispredicts the most likely, common, or troubling objections to ones argument, then offers strong answers to those objections58
12350303720prosethe literary genre that is written in ordinary language and most closely resembles everyday speech; any writing that is not poetry59
12350303721purposean author's reason for writing; what the author is attempting to achieve by writing60
12350303722qualified negativea limited negative that is used or described in such a way that it is partially positive or could be positive under certain circumstances61
12350303723audiencethe persons reached by a book or other form of literature62
12350303724qualified positivea limited positive; a positive that is used or described in such a way that it is partially negative or could be negative under certain circumstances63
12350303725refraina phrase that is repeated throughout a work64
12350303726repetitionthe exact or approximate duplication of any element of language, such as word, phrase, sentence, or structure65
12350303727resources of languageall devices of composition available to a writer, such as diction, syntax, sentence structure, and figures of speech66
12350303728rhetoricthe techniques and rules for using language effectively, eloquently, and persuasively67
12350303729rhetorical appealrhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling, including appeals to character, emotion, or logic68
12350303730rhetorical featureshow a passage is constructed; its organization and the combination of images, details, or arguments in relation to the author's purpose69
12350303731rhetorical questiona question in which does not need or expect an answer70
12350303732rhetorical strategiesa general term encompassing the devices that creates style, reveal purpose, and establish structure71
12350303733sarcasmbitter, caustic language designed to hurt or ridicule someone or something, often satirical or verbally ironic72
12350303734satirea work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and convention for reform or ridicule, often uses imitation, irony, and/or sarcasm73
12350303735similea comparison using "like" or "as"74
12350303736situational ironya type of irony in which events turn out the opposite of what was expected75
12350303737slippery slopea logical fallacy that claims a series of intensifying consequences will inevitably follow a seemingly safe incident76
12350303738scesis onomatoncreate emphasis by repeating the same idea in a series of essentially synonymous statements77
12350303739stylea manner of expression that is characteristic of a particular person or time period78
12350303740stylistic devicesthe elements of a work that contribute to style79
12350303741syllogismfrom the Greek words for "reckoning together," a form of deductive argument which presents two premises, major and minor, followed by a conclusion, (Major: all men are mortal. Minor: Socrates is a man. Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.)80
12350303742synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole, the whole for apart, the specific for the general, the general for the specific, or the material for the thing made from it81
12350303743syntaxthe grammatical structure of prose and poetry82
12350303744synthesisthe combination of two or more elements (thesis and antithesis) onto a unified whole83
12350303745themethe central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life, may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing84
12350303746thesisthe sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition85
12350303747toneattitudes and presuppositions of the author that are revealed by their linguistic choices (diction, syntax, rhetorical devices)86
12350303748understatementthe opposite of exaggeration, it is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended87
12350303749verbal ironya type of irony in which the words literally state the opposite of the writer's true meaning88
12350303750voicethe personality of a character as seen through their narration89
12350303751ironythe expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect90

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