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AP English Language Vocabulary Flashcards

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6729502045AnaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines. Ex. "My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration."0
6729502046AntithesisOpposite or contrast of ideas or words. Ex. "Speech is silver, but silence is gold."1
6729504089AsyndetonOmission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses or words. Ex. "An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was thick, warm, heavy, sluggish."2
6729506259AppositionA word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun. Ex. "The Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, Africa's only nuclear power plant, was inaugurated in 1984 by the apartheid regime and is the major source of electricity for the Western Cape's 4.5 million population."3
6729506260ParallelismSimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases or clauses. Ex. "Like father, like son"4
6729511213Participial PhraseA phrase containing a verb that functions as an adjective by modifying nouns. Ex. "Going to the store, my sister ate an apple."5
6729516338EpistropheThe repetition of words or phrases comes at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences rather than at the beginning usually in 3. Ex. "There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem."6
6729516339SymploceCombines anaphora and epistophe by repeating words both at the beginning and the end of phrases, clauses or sentences. Ex. "The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason."7
6729527513AnadiplosisRepetition of the last word(s) of a sentence or clause at or near the beginning of the next.8
6729527514ConduplicatioRepeats a key word from preceding clause or sentence at or near beginning of the next.9
6729534280EpanalepsisRepeating the beginning word(s) of a clause or sentence at the end.10
6729537264Periodic SentenceSentence who's main clause is withheld until the end.11
6729568499Dominant ImpressionA quality, mood or atmosphere that reinforces the writer's purpose.12
6729584150AntimetaboleRepetition of words in reverse order.13
6729585940Cumulative SentenceSentence that completes the main idea of the beginning of a sentence and then builds and adds on.14
6729588590Hortative SentenceSentence that exhorts, advises or calls to action.15
6729588591Imperative SentenceSentence used to command, enjoin, implore or entreat.16
6729592163InversionInverted order of words in a sentence (variation of subject-verb-object order).17
6729592164JuxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts.18
6729595417MetonymyUsing a single feature to represent the whole.19
6729600738ZeugmaUse of two different words in a grammatically similar way but producing different, often incongruous meanings. Ex. "His boat and his dreams sank."20

AP Literature Literary Terms Flashcards

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8808784791AllegoryA correspondence between a series of abstract ideas and a series of images or pictures presented in the form of a story or narrative. An allegory reveals a hidden meaning in the plot, typically a moral or political meaning.0
8808797579AlliterationThe repetition of initial sounds in the same line or stanza.1
8808803470AllusionA brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.2
8808814422AnalogyA comparison between two things.3
8808817076AnthropomorphismThe attribution of human characteristics and behaviors to animals or other non-human things. It differs subtly from personification in that personification's primary effect is imagery, while anthropomorphism aims to make the non-human things appear and behave human.4
8808834616ApostropheA figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or an inanimate object.5
8808841677AssonanceThe repetition of vowel sounds in the same line or stanza.6
8808848075CacophonyThe use of words and phrases with jarring, dissonant sounds.7
8808853337CaricatureThe exaggeration of certain striking characteristics in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.8
8808866012ColloquialismThe use of informal words, phrases, or slang.9
8808868404ConceitA complex metaphor that controls a poetic passage or an entire poem.10
8808874162ConnotationAn idea that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning11
8808881022ConsonanceThe repetition of consonant sounds in the same line or stanza.12
8808886636EnjambmentMovement from one line to the next without an ending punctuation mark; creates multiple meanings when the text is read according to line break and according to punctuation.13
8808896316EpigramA pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in an amusing or clever way.14
8808905202HyperboleThe presentation of something as bigger or more significant than it actually is; often used to create verbal irony.15
8808915904IdiomAn expression or phrase that means something different from what the individual words of the phrase would imply.16
8808924303ImageryDescriptive or figurative language that draws on the senses.17
8808929964IronyA figure of speech in which intent is expressed through words carrying the opposite meaning.18
8808939818Dramatic IronyA situation in which the audience has more information or a greater perspective than the characters.19
8808948358Situational IronyA situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, making the outcome contrary to the expectation.20
8808956777Verbal IronySaying one thing while meaning another21
8808960059JargonSpecial words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group.22
8808964441JeremiadA prolonged lamentation or complaint, often against some state of society, and often ending with a prophetic warning.23
8808970413JuxtapositionThe side=by-side placement of two or more ideas, places, characters, or events for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.24
8808977998LampoonA written attack that uses satire to ridicule a person, group, or institution; a satirical work.25
8808986806LitotesA figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasizes an affirmative by expressing the negative of its opposite (Ex: "you won't be sorry").26
8808995016MetaphorAn implicit comparison27
8808997066MetonymyA form of metaphor allowing an object closely associated with, but unattached to, the object or situation to stand in for the thing itself.28
8809008446OnomatopoeiaWords that sound like that which they describe.29
8809012289OxymoronA figure of speech that pairs apparently contradictory terms to create a new meaning.30
8809018065PanegyricA formal speech or written work that publicly praises a person or thing.31
8809022540ParableA simple story used to illustrate a moral lesson.32
8809026095ParadoxA statement or situation that contradicts itself even while creating a truth.33
8809035964ParodyAn imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect or ridicule, often employing irony.34
8809046120Parallel StructureRepetition of sentence structure which may involve exact words, but more importantly repeats the order of verbs and nouns.35
8809055762PersonificationThe attribution of human qualities to something not human.36
8809059662Point of ViewThe narrator's position in relation to the story being told.37
8809064850First-PersonThe narrator is a character in the story and can share his/her thoughts and emotions.38
8809070830Second-PersonThe narrator makes the audience a character in the story.39
8809073825Third-Person LimitedThe narrator is outside the story and can share the thoughts and emotions of only one character.40
8809079340Third-Person OmniscientThe narrator is outside the story and can share the thoughts and emotions of all characters.41
8809090944Dramatic-ObjectiveThe narrator is outside the story and can share only the actions that can be witnessed by a "fly on the wall" observer without any insight into characters' thoughts or emotions.42
8809097528PunA humorous play on words that exploits different meanings of the same word or similar-sounding words.43
8809104751RepetitionThe repeating of entire lines or phrases to emphasize key ideas.44
8809108454ReparteeAn interchange of clever and amusing retorts.45
8809111552Rhetorical QuestionA question asked in order to create an effect or elicit an emotion rather than to receive an answer.46
8809127424SarcasmThe use of irony to mock, ridicule, or convey contempt.47
8809130082SatireThe use of irony, humor, hyperbole or ridicule to expose and criticize social vices.48
8809136827SimileAn explicit comparison49
8809139677SymbolUse of an object or action that signifies something more than its literal meaning.50
8809144566SynechdocheA form of metaphor in which an important, attached part signifies the whole.51
8809153360TruismA statement the reader may accept as obvious truth without need for further evidence.52
8809161193Understatement (Meiosis)The presentation of something as smaller or less significant than it actually is; often used to create verbal irony.53
8809167087ZeugmaA figure of speech in which a word, usually a verb or adjective, applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas (EX: "He lost his phone and his cool").54
8809181147ClassicismHas its roots in ancient Greek and Roman literature, philosophy, and art. Classicists believed that the laws of nature could be rationally understood and explained by reason. The style is known for simplicity and clarity, unity of purpose, logical organization, and respect for tradition. In general, it refers to three distinct periods: the French 1600s, the English late 1600s and early 1700s, and the late German 1700s.55
8809206810ExistentialismIs preoccupied with human existence and its absurdity. Inspired by philosophers like Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Heidegger, literary Existentialism appears in the late 1800s into the 1900s. It is interested in the limits of reason, the tragic aspects of life, and self-destructive characters. Existentialist writers deal with themes of deception, anxiety, guilt, solitude, and anguish, with a focus on characters' responsibility for their actions. Existentialism provides no common concept or standard of behavior in religious and ethical questions.56
8809237645NaturalismDeveloped from Realism in the late 1800s and is based on Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. Humans are presented as creatures whose behavior is predetermined by the natural force of hereditary, environment, and physical impulses. Extreme environments often provide the settings, and characters are often poor or suffering as helpless victims. The style is detached and clinical.57
8809261915RealismAttempts to describe life without idealization or romantic subjectivity. Realists mainly focus on middle-class characters in everyday environments, attempting a faithful representation of life. Plot is downplayed; rather, characters are the center of interest. The style is honest, impartial and objective, while often critical of society. "Realism first appeared as a literary term in the 1800s in France, then spread most notably in Russia, England, and the US.58
8809293963RomanticismBegan as rebellion against the formalism of the Enlightenment. Interest topics are broad, including both classical and modern ideas. Dealt with mystical, the subconscious, and the supernatural.59
8809311055MeterThe systematic regularity of a poem's rhythm. Consists of feet and number of feet per line.60
8809320017FeetRhythmical units in lines that recur in patterns of two or three syllables.61
8809326834AnapestTwo weak syllables followed by a strong syllable62
8809329466DactylA strong syllable followed by two weak syllables63
8809338490IambA weak syllable followed by a strong a strong syllable64
8809342807PyrrhicTwo weak syllables65
8809345487TrocheeA strong syllable followed by a weak syllable66
8809348750Monometerone foot67
8809352831Dimetertwo feet68
8809352833Trimeterthree feet69
8809355093Tetrameterfour feet70
8809357937Pentameterfive feet71
8809359761Hexametersix feet72
8809359762Heptameterseven feet73
8809362121Octametereight feet74
8809366517RhymeThe repition of similar sounds75
8809368563End RhymeOccurs at the end of two or more lines76
8809377407Internal RhymeOccurs in the middle of a line77
8809380246Slant RhymeConsists of similar but not identical sounds (also called half-rhyme, near-rhyme, imperfect-rhyme, or off-rhyme).78
8809385972StanzaA division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together, usually recurring in a pattern.79
8809390213Couplet2 lines80
8809390264Tercet3 lines81
8809392394Quatrain4 lines82
8809395409Cinquain5 lines83
8809397460Sestet6 lines84
8809397461Septet7 lines85
8809399812Octave8 lines86
8809401811AlexandrineA poem in iambic pentameter87
8809404853Blank VerseAn unrhymed poem with a set metrical pattern (usually iambic pentameter).88
8809410325CaesuraA pause near the middle of a line89
8809413245Free VerseA poem without a set metrical pattern or rhyme90
8809415772Spenserian StanzaA poetic form consisting of 9 lines, 8 in iambic pentameter and 9th in iambic hexameter, with a rhyme scheme of ababbccbcc.91
8809426691Terza RimaTercets, typically in iambs, with an interlocking rhyme pattern of aba, bcb, cdc, etc.92
8809435992Descriptive PoemA poem that describes the world surrounding the speaker. Though often emotional, a descriptive poem is focused outward, whereas a lyric poem is focused inward.93
8809444790Lyric PoemAny poem with one speaker who expresses strong thoughts and emotions. most poems, especially modern poems, are lyric poems.94
8809456783BalladA narrative poem that tells the tales of ordinary people. It is typically organized into quatrains, or cinquains and follows a simple, musical rhythm.95
8809464755Dramatic MonologueA long lyric poem spoken by a character who often uwittingly reveals his or her hidden desires and actions over the course of the poem. The speaker is distinct from the poet.96
8809479624ElegyA lyric poem that mourns the dead. It has no set metric or stanzaic pattern, but usually takes the following structure: reminiscing about the dead; lamenting the reason for death; resolving the grief by concluding that death leads to immortality.97
8809496264Epic PoemA long narrative poem in an elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero.98
8809501402OdeA lyric poem if moderate length on a serious subject, written in an elevated style, and structured in an elaborate stanza pattern.99
8809511127Pastoral PoemA lyric poem whose subject is an idealized version of rural life. Shepherds are often the speakers or central figures.100
8809519130SestinaA lyric poem with 6 sestets and a a final tercet. All stanzas have the same six words at the line-ends in 6 different sequences that follow a fixed pattern. All 6 words appear in the final tercet.101
8809530414SonnetA lyric poem consisting of 14 lines102
8809537923Shakespearean/English SonnetConsists of three quatrains and a concluding couplet; usually written in iambic pentameter.103
8809545146Petrarchan/Italian SonnetConsists of an octave with a rhyme scheme of abbaabba and a sestet with a rhyme scheme of two or three new sounds (c, d, and sometimes e) that vary in arrangement.104
8809556359Spenserian SonnetConsists of 3 quatrains locked together by a rhyme scheme of abab, bcbc, cdcd and a concluding couplet (ee)105
8809563680VillanelleA 19-line lyric poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of 5 tercets and a quatrain. The first and third lines of the opening tercet recur alternately at the end of the other tercets and repeat at the end of the final quatrain.106

AP Literature Terms Flashcards

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11630778309DictionA writer's or speaker's choice of words0
11630782195Levels of DictionFormal, Standard, Colloquial, Low1
11630790351Diction: High, elevated, formal, scholarlyContains language that creates an elevated tone. It is free of slang, idioms, colloquialisms, and contradictions2
11630804230Diction: Standard EnglishThe ordinary speech of educated native speakers3
11630810190Diction: ColloquialCharacteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing4
11630815195Diction: LowThe lowest level of formality in language, vulgate is the diction of the common people with no pretensions at refinement or elevation5
11630831301DialectA particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group6
11630838335SlangA group of newly coined words which are not acceptable for formal usage as yet7
11630849272Vulgarlacking refinement or taste; crude8
11630868790Abstract Dictionwords that express general ideas or concepts9
11630876504Archaic dictionOld-fashioned or outdated choice of words10
11630880598BombastPompous or pretentious talk or writing11
11630887738Clichéa worn-out idea or overused expression12
11630891047concrete dictionconsists of specific words that describe physical qualities or conditions13
11630897059Connotationthe implied or associative meaning of a word14
11630903667DenotationThe dictionary definition of a word15
11630916243Didacticintended to teach16
11630923664double entendrea word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent17
11630930184EpithetA descriptive name or phrase used to characterize someone or something18
11630939045EuphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant19
11630940371Jargonspecial words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand20
11630945810Literal/Figurative meaningsLiteral is based on the actual words in their ordinary meaning. Figurative gives a more symbolic meaning or representing one concept in terms of another that may be thought of as analogous21
11630949020Malapropismthe unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar22
11630958601Poetic/Flowery languageDistinctive language used by poets; language that would not be common in their everyday speech.23
11630962408Portmanteaua new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings24
11633716928Atmoshpere (Mood)the feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage25
11633716929CharacterA person in a story26
11633716930AntagonistA character or force in conflict with the main character27
11633716931Archetypean original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing28
11633716932Dynamic Charactera literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude29
11633716933Flat characterA character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story30
11633716934FoilA character who is used as a contrast to another character; the contrast emphasizes the differences between the two characters, bringing out the distinctive qualities in each.31
11633716935ProtagonistMain character in a story32
11633716936Round characterA character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work33
11633716937Static characterA character who does not change during the story.34
11633716938Stock characterthe stereotyped character in which he is immediately known from typical characters in history35
11633716939Methods of Characterizationthe methods used to present the personality of a character in a narrative: directly or indirectly36
11633716940Direct characterizationThe author directly states a character's traits37
11633716941Indirect characterizationAuthor subtly reveals the character through actions and interactions.38
11633716942AppearanceThe description indicates much about person's interests, wealth, or condition39
11633716943Direct Statements by the charactermanner of speaking, what the character says, and dialect, reveal much about a character.40
11633716944Private thoughts of the characterdesires, fears, worries and other concerns can be revealed through interior monologue, stream of consciousness, soliloquies, or other indications of inner thought processes41
11633716945Character's actionsThe character's choices of behavior reveal much about him or her42
11633716946Effects the character has on other charactersthe words and actions of the character affect other characters. Their response indicates certain attitudes toward the character.43
11633716947Motivationa circumstance or set of circumstances that prompts a character to act in a certain way or that determines the outcome of a situation or work44
11633716948PlotThe structure of a story. The sequence in which the author arranges events in a story.45
11633716949SettingThe time and place of a story46
11633716950ThemeCentral idea of a work of literature47
11633716951ToneAttitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character48
11633716952Voicerefers to a writer's unique use of language that allows a reader to "hear" a human personality in his or her writing49
11633716953ExpositionThe part of the story, usually near the beginning, in which the characters are introduced, the background is explained, and the setting is described.50
11633716954SuspenseA 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 interested51
11633716955rising actionA series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax52
11633716956Flashbacka scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story53
11633716957flash forwarda shift in the narration that moves to a future time that has not yet occurred in the straight narration54
11633716958Foreshadowingthe use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot55
11633716959complication/conflictthat part of a plot in which the entanglement caused by the conflict of opposing forces is developed56
11633716960ConflictThe tension created in the story by the struggle or outcome of the struggle57
11633716961External conflictA struggle between a character and an outside force58
11633716962Internal conflictA struggle between opposing needs, desires, or emotions within a single character59
11633716963Turning pointthe point in a work in which a very significant change occurs60
11633716964DialogueConversation between characters61
11633716965Climaxthe most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex.62
11633716966EpiphanyA moment of sudden revelation or insight63
11633716967Falling actionEvents after the climax, leading to the resolution64
11633716968Resolution, Conclusion, Denouementthe ending that follows the climax and leads to the resolution. The final unraveling of a plot's complications. The part of a story or drama which occurs after the climax and which establishes a new norm, a new state of affairs--the way things are going to be from then on65
11633716969Frame Story/Narrativean introductory narrative within which one or more of the characters proceed to tell a story66
11633716970point of viewthe perspective from which a story is told67
11633716971First point of viewa character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself68
11633716972Third personPoint of view in which the narrator is outside of the story - an observer69
11633716973omniscientknowing everything; having unlimited awareness or understanding70
11633716974limited third personThe narrator is outside the story, but tells the story from the vantage point of only ONE character; the narrator can enter the mind of this chosen character but cannot tell what any other characters are thinking except by observation71
11633716975objective narratorthe narrator offers no opinions or interpretations of characters thoughts72
11633716976unreliable narratora narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted73
11633716977interior monologueThe flow of the contents of a character 's mind; a narrative technique that records a character's internal thoughts, memories, and associations74
11633716978stream of consciousnessa style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.75
11633716979In medias res"In the midst of things." It is applied to the literary technique of opening a story in the middle of the action and then supplying information about the beginning of the action through flashbacks and other devices for exposition76
11633716980deus ex machinaan unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel.77
11633716981anachronismsomething out of the proper time78
11633716982suspension of disbeliefa willingness to suspend one's critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment79
11633716983Magical Realisma literary or artistic genre in which realistic narrative and naturalistic technique are combined with surreal elements of dream or fantasy80
11633716984SurrealismAn artistic movement that displayed vivid dream worlds and fantastic unreal images81
11633716985distortionAn exaggeration or stretching of the truth to achieve a desired effect82
11633716986Impressionisma style of art where painters try to catch visual impressions made by color, light, and shadows83
11633716987AllegoryA prolonged metaphor84
11633716988poetic justiceWhen characters "get what they deserve" in the end of a story85
11633716989picaresque novelAn episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits86
11633716990Bildungsromana novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education87
11633716991epistolary novelA novel in which the narrative is carried forward by letters written by one or more characters88
11633716992figurative languageWriting or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid89
11646127380Allegorya story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one90
11646127381AllusionA reference to another work of literature, person, or event91
11646127382AmbiguityThe multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage92
11646127383anachronisma thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned93
11646127384ApostropeAn address to the dead as if living94
11646127385Cliché/Dead metaphora phrase that has been overused so that its original impact has been lost. Ex. Old as the hills; It's raining cats and dogs95
11646127386ConceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects96
11646127387extended metaphorA metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work97
11646127388Hyperboleexaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally98
11646127389ImageryDescription that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)99
11646127390visualDescriptions of images that can be seen100
11646127391AuditoryImages that can be heard101
11646127392TactileDescriptions of the texture or touch of something102
11646127393KinetheticDescriptions of motion103
11646127394olfactoryrelating to the sense of smell104
11646127395gustatoryDescriptions of tastes105
11646127396Metaphora figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable106
11646127397LitoteA figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite107
11646127398Metonymythe substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant108
11646127399MotifA recurring theme, subject or idea109
11646127400montageA quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea110
11646127401OxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase111
11646127402ParadoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth112
11646127403SimileA comparison using "like" or "as"113
11646127404SymbolA thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract114
11646127405Synaesthesiathe use of one kind of sensory experience to describe another115
11646127406Synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa116
11646127407Syllepsisa construction in which one word is used in two different senses ("After he threw the ball, he threw a fit.")117
11646127408Understatementthe opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended118
11646127409MonologueA long speech made by one performer or by one person in a group119
11646127410MonodramaA play written and performed by one person120
11646127411SoliloquyA long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage121
11646127412Asidea remark or passage by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play122
11646127413dramatic monologuewhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience123
11646127414Satire TechniquesHumor, Over-exaggeration, Irony, Sarcasm, and Parody124
11646127415ridiculeto make fun of, to mock125
11646127416Sarcasmthe use of irony to mock or convey contempt126
11646127417HumorA term used to denote one of the two major types of writing (humor and wit) whose purpose is to evoke laughter127
11646465335Witmental sharpness and inventiveness; keen intelligence128
11646465336Cosmic or irony of fateSome Fate with a grim sense of humor seems cruelly to trick a human being. Cosmic irony clearly exists in poems in which fate or the Fates are personified and seen as hostile129
11646465337dramatic ironywhen a reader is aware of something that a character isn't130
11646465338situational ironyAn outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected131
11646465339Socratic Ironya pose of ignorance assumed in order to entice others into making statements that can then be challenged132
11646465340verbal ironyA figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant133
11646465341Absurdity, distortion, and incongruityIn contemporary literature and criticism, a term applied to the sense that human beings, cut off from their roots, live in meaningless isolation in an alien universe. Although the literature of the absurd employs many of the devices of EXPRESSIONISM and SURREALISM, its philosophical base is a form of EXISTENTIALISM that views human beings as moving from the nothingness from which they came to the nothingness in which they will end through an existence marked by anguish and absurdity, but they must make their own choices and accept responsibility for those decisions134
11646465342burlesqueA work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation135
11646465343ParodyA work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule136
11646465344Caricaturea picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect137
11646465345Coarse mockeryridicule that contains vulgar or bawdy references and sexual innuendo. (The conversation between the nurse and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet)138
11646465346invectiveAn emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.139
11646465347Sardonic statementsbitterly scornful; cynical; expecting the worst; stronger anger than plain sarcasm140
11646465348verisimilitude; realisma characteristic whereby the setting, circumstances, characters, dialogue, actions, and outcomes in a work are designed to seem true, lifelike, real, plausible, and probable141
11646465349Hamartia (tragic flaw)A character flaw that causes the downfall or death of a person of high rank/status142
11646465350Hubrisexcessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy143
11646465351Catharisthe purging of emotion at the end of the play which inspires people to live a better life144
11646465352Recognition (anagnorisis)discovery; the revelation of some fact not known before or some person's true identity (Oedipus discovers that he, himself is the one who killed his father)145
11646465353Reversal (Peripety)The change in fortune for a protagonist. The reversal of fortune for a protagonist--possibly either a fall, as in tragedy, or a success, as in comedy. An action that turns out to have the opposite effect from the one its doer had intended146
11646465354ChorusA group of characters in Greek tragedy (and in later forms of drama), who comment on the action of a play without participation in it147
11646465355comedylight and humorous drama with a happy ending148
11646465356rhetorical techniquesThe devices used in effective or persuasive language. The most common examples are contrast, repetitions, paradox, understatement, sarcasm, and rhetorical question149
11646465357reiterationRepetition of an idea using different words, often for emphasis or other effect.150
11646465358RepetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis151
11646465359Anaphorarepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines152
11646465360Polysyndetonthe use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural153
11646465361Ellipsisthe omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context154
11646465362Parallelismsimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses155
11646465363rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer156
11646465364AmbiguityThe multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage157
11646465365Dualityan instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something158
11646465366AntithesisA rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences159
11646465367JuxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts160
11646465368antecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun161
11646465369structurethe arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work162
11646465370Stylethe choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work163
11646465371SyntaxThe arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language164
11646465372clauseA grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb165
11646465373Main/Independent Clausehas a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as a sentence166
11646465374subordinate clauseA clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that functions within the sentence as a noun or adjective or adverb167
11646465375phraseA group of words with a meaning; an expression168
11646465376appositive phraseA group of words that stands next to a noun or pronoun and renames or adds information or details to it169
11646465377prepositional phraseA group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun.170
11646465378infinitive phrasePhrases that begin with an infinitive. (to + simple form of the verb)171
11646465379gerund phraseBegins with noun form of verb ending in -ing, plus any modifiers or complements172
11646465380participial phrasephrase that contains a participle and its modifiers and functions as an adjective to modify a noun or pronoun173
11646465381Sentence LengthThe number of words in a sentence174
11646465382compound sentencea sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions175
11646465383simple sentenceA sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause176
11646465384complex sentenceA sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause177
11646465385compound-complex sentenceat least one dependent clause and two or more independent clauses178
11646465386fragmentan incomplete sentence; a break in a sentence179
11646465387run-ontwo or more sentences that are improperly joined together as one sentence180
11646465388loose or cumulative sentencemakes complete sense if brought to a close before the actual ending181
11646465389periodic sentencesentence whose main clause is withheld until the end182
11646465390balanced sentencea sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast183
11646465391natural order of a sentenceinvolves constructing a sentence so the subject comes before the predicate184
11646465392Inverted Order of a Sentencepredicate comes before the subject185
11646465393parallel structurethe repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures186
11646465394EpicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society187
11646465395BalladA narrative poem written in four-line stanzas, characterized by swift action and narrated in a direct style.188
11646465396pastoral poemrefers to literary works that deal with works that deal with the simple rural life or with escape to a similar place and time189
11646465397idylla lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place190
11646465398dramatic monologuewhen a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience191
11646465399lyric poetryA short poem in which a single speaker expresses personal thoughts and feelings192
11646465400LyricA type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world.193
11646465401OdeA lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject.194
11646465402Sonneta poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per line.195
11646465403English or Shakespearean sonnetA sonnet rhyming ababcdcdefefgg. Its content or structure ideally parallels the rhyme scheme, falling into three coordinate quatrains and a concluding couplet; but it is often structured, like the Italian sonnet, into octave and sestet, the principal break in thought coming at the end of the eighth line.196
11646465404Italian or Petrarchan SonnetA sonnet consisting of an octave rhyming abbaabba and of a sestet using any arrangement of two or three additional rhymes, such as cdcdcd or cdecde197
11646465405sonnet sequencea series or group of sonnets written to one person or on one theme198
11646465406Companion PoemsPoems designed to complement each other199
11646465407elegya sad or mournful poem200
11646465408Cinquaina five line stanza201
11646465409VillanelleA 19 line form using only two rhymes and repeating two of the lines according to a set pattern202
11646465410complainta lyric poem of lament, regret, and sadness which may explain the speaker's mood, describe its cause, discuss remedies, and appeal for help203
11646465411RhythmA regularly recurring sequence of events or actions.204
11646465412MeterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry205
11646465413footPortion of line in poetry206
11646465414iambusa metrical foot consisting of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable207
11646465415TrocheeA metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable208
11646465416dactylaccented, unaccented, unaccented209
11646465417Spondeestressed, stressed210
11646465418Pyrric footTwo unstressed syllables; this type of foot is rare and is found in between other types of feet211
11646465419Scansionthe action of scanning a line of verse to determine its rhythm212
11646781822metrical variationscall attention to some of the sounds because they depart from what is regular213
11646781823CaesuraA natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.214
11646781824end-stopped lineA line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation215
11646781825Enjambmentthe continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza216
11646781826sprung rhythmmeasured by counting only the accented syllables and by varying the number of unaccented syllables217
11646781827RhymeRepetition of accented vowel sounds and all sounds following them in words that are close together in a poem218
11646781828end rhymeA word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line219
11646781829internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line220
11646781830exact rhymeRepetition of accented vowel sounds and all sounds following them in words that are close together in a poem221
11646781831slant rhymerhyme in which the vowel sounds are nearly, but not exactly the same (i.e. the words "stress" and "kiss"); sometimes called half-rhyme, near rhyme, or partial rhyme222
11646781832rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem223
11646781833masculine rhymeA rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable224
11646781834feminine rhymelines rhymed by their final two syllables225
11646781835AssonanceRepetition of vowel sounds226
11646781836AlliterationRepetition of initial consonant sounds227
11646781837ConsonanceRepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity228
11646781838cacophonyA harsh, discordant mixture of sounds229
11646781839euphonypleasant, harmonious sound230
11646781840refrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.231
11646781841OnomatopoeiaA word that imitates the sound it represents.232
11646781842verseA single line of poetry233
11646781843StanzaA group of lines in a poem234
11646781844cantoA main division of a long poem235
11646781845booka major division of a long poem, usually an epic; books can be divided into cantos and cantos into stanzas236
11646781846blank verseunrhymed iambic pentameter237
11646781847Alexandrinea line of iambic hexameter238
11646781848free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme239
11646781849CoupletTwo consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme240
11646781850Tercetthree line stanza241
11646781851QuatrainA four line stanza242
11646781852Sestetsix line stanza243
11646781853Octave8 line stanza244
11646781854Heptastichseven line stanza245
11646781855rhyme royalA seven-line stanza of iambic pentameter rhymed ababbcc, used by Chaucer and other medieval poets.246
11646781856tersa rima3 line stanza with the following rhyme scheme: aba bcb cdc ded...etc.247
11646781857ottava rimaan eight-line rhyming stanza of a poem248
11646781858Prosodythe patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry249
11646781859metaphysical poetryThe work of poets, particularly those of the seventeenth century, that uses elaborate conceits, is highly intellectual, and expresses the complexities of love and life250
11646781860argumenta statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work251
11646781861cause and effectThe reason something happens and the result of it happening.252
11646781862Classification and Divisionthe dividing and grouping of things by classes or categories253
11646781863comparison and contrastA mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted. Comparison often refers to similarities, contrast to differences.254
11646781864definitionA statement that gives the meaning of a term.255
11646781865descriptiona spoken or written summary of observations256
11646781866slice of lifeA type of commercial consisting of a dramatization of a real-life situation in which the product is tried and becomes the solution to a problem.257
11646781867local colora term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting, including its customs, clothing, dialect and landscape.258
11646781868Chiaroscurothe treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting259
11646781869Expositiona comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.260
11646781870Narrationthe telling of a story in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama; one of the four modes of discourse261
11646781871Process AnalysisA method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer explains step by step how something is done or how to do something.262
11646781872Style Analysisthe author's use of style, language, and rhetorical strategies263
11646781873SynthesisAn argument which writer argued his point using various sources264
11646781874purposeOne's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing.265
11646781875audienceOne's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.266
11646781876LogosAppeal to logic267
11646781877Ethoscredibility268
11646781878PathosAppeal to emotion269
11646781879logical reasoningThe process of arriving at a conclusion through a series of ordered steps270
11646781880inductive reasoningA type of logic in which generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations.271
11646781881deductive reasoningreasoning 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.)272
11646781882SyllogismA form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.273
11646781883AnalogyA comparison of two different things that are similar in some way274
11646781884logical fallacya mistake in reasoning275
11646781885ad hominema fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute276
11646781886Ad Misericordiamappeal to pity277
11646781887Ad Vericundiamappeal to authority278
11646781888circular reasoninga fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence279
11646781889faulty dilemmathe major premise presents a choice that does not exhaust the possibilities280
11646781890False AnalogyWhen two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead readers to accept a claim of connection between them.281
11646781891Guilt by Associationcalls someone's character into question by examining the character of that person's associates282
11646781892Hasty GeneralizationA fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence.283
11646781893Hypothesis Contrary to Factan argument; writer begins with a premise that is not true and then draws conclusions therefrom (starts with fantasy_284
11646781894non sequitursomething that does not logically follow285
11646781895pedantry(n.) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details286
11646781896Red HerringA fallacy that introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion287
11646781897slanted languageBy choosing words that carry strong positive or negative connotations or feelings, a person can distract the audience, leading them away from the valid arguments being made. A philosopher once illustrated the bias involved in slanted language when he compared three synonyms for the word stubborn: "I am firm. You are obstinate. He is pigheaded288
11646781898Slippery SlopeA fallacy that assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented289
11646781899stereotypeA generalized belief about a group of people290
11646781900Straw Man Argumentconsists of an oversimplification of an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack291
11646781901Propaganda TechniquesPropaganda techniques and persuasive tactics are used to influence people to believe, buy or do something. Students should be able to identify and comprehend the propaganda techniques and persuasive tactics listed below.292
11646781902loaded wordsWords which are slanted for or against the subject293
11646781903BandwagonA fallacy which assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable294
11646781904Card Stackingpropaganda technique involving the use of showing one-sided information295
11646781905Testimonialattempts to persuade the reader by using a famous person to endorse a product or idea296
11646781906name callingthe use of language to defame, demean, or degrade individuals or groups297
11646781907Glittering Generalitiespropaganda technique using short phrases or words to promote positive feelings or emotions298
11646781908plain folks appealimplies that ordinary people are on "our side" or that a candidate is like an ordinary person299
11646781909Snob AppealThe suggestion that the use of the product makes the customer part of an elite group with a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle.300
11646781910Old English Period(450-1066 AD). Example: Beowulf.301
11646781911Anglo-Norman Period(1100-1350) Magna Charta, Dante's Divine Comedy302
11646781912Middle English Period(1066-1550). Examples: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, More's Utopia, Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, and the morality play Everyman.303
11646781913Rennaisance classicismA movement or tendency in art, music, literature in renaissance period304
11646781914Neoclassicismthe revival of a classical style or treatment in art, literature, architecture, or music.305
11646781915Romanticism19th century artistic movement that appealed to emotion rather than reason306
11646781916TranscendentalismA philosophy pioneered by Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 1830's and 1840's, in which each person has direct communication with God and Nature, and there is no need for organized churches. It incorporated the ideas that mind goes beyond matter, intuition is valuable, that each soul is part of the Great Spirit, and each person is part of a reality where only the invisible is truly real. Promoted individualism, self-reliance, and freedom from social constraints, and emphasized emotions.307
11646781917Realsimshowed people in an emotional and realistic way308
11646781918Naturalisma style and theory of representation based on the accurate depiction of detail.309
11646781919ExistentialismA philosophy based on the idea that people give meaning to their lives through their choices and actions310
11646781920Christian Existentialismindividuals define their own existence but religion can provide unifying center311
11646781921Atheistic ExistentialismSees life as absurd, but also sees human beings as totally free to make their own meaning in the face of this absurdity312
11646782477ModernismA cultural movement embracing human empowerment and rejecting traditionalism as outdated. Rationality, industry, and technology were cornerstones of progress and human achievement.313
11646782478Post Modernismgenre of art and literature and especially architecture in reaction against principles and practices of established modernism314

AP Literature: Structure: Verse Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
9803790648AlliterationThe repetition at close intervals of the initial consonant sounds of accented syllables or important words (for example, map-moon, kill-code, preach-approve)0
9803790649AnapestA metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable (for example, understand)1
9803793662Anapestic meterA meter in which a majority of the feet are anapests2
9803793663Approximate rhyme(also known as imperfect rhyme, near rhyme, slant rhyme, or oblique rhyme) A term used for words in a rhyming pattern that have some kind of sound correspondence but are not perfect rimes (for example, arrayed-said)3
9803793688AssonanceThe repetition at close intervals of the vowel sounds of accented syllables or important words (for example, hat-ran-amber, veinmade).4
9803797765Ballad meterStanzas formed of quatrains of iambs in which the first and third lines have four stresses (tetrameter) and the second and fourth lines have three stresses (trimeter). Usually, the second and fourth lines rhyme (abcb), although ballad meter is often not followed strictly.5
9803797766Blank versePoetry with a meter, but not rhymed, usually in iambic pentameter6
9803797767ConsonanceThe repetition at close intervals of the final consonant sounds of accented syllables or important words (for example, bookplaque-thicker)7
9803801555CoupletTwo successive lines, usually in the same meter, linked by rhyme8
9803801556DactylA metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables (for example, merrily)9
9803803772Dactyl meterA meter in which a majority of the feet are dactyls10
9803811273End rhymeRhymes that occur at the ends of lines11
9803819806End-stopped lineA line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation — the opposite of enjambment12
9803819807EnjambmentOr run-on line, a line which has no natural speech pause at its end, allowing the sense to flow uninterruptedly into the succeeding line — the opposite of an end-stopped line13
9803824375English (or Shakespearean) sonnetA sonnet rhyming ababcdcdefefgg. Its content or structure ideally parallels the rhyme scheme, falling into three coordinate quatrains and a concluding couplet; but it is often structured, like the Italian sonnet, into octave and sestet, the principal break in thought coming at the end of the eighth line.14
9803824376Feminine rhymeA rhyme in which the stress is on the penultimate (second from last) syllable of the words (picky, tricky)15
9803827292FootThe basic unit used in the scansion or measurement of verse. A foot usually contains one accented syllable and one or two unaccented syllables16
9803827293Free verseNonmetrical verse. Poetry written in free verse is arranged in lines, may be more or less rhythmical, but has no fixed metrical pattern or expectation17
9803831711Half rhyme(Sometimes called slant rhyme, sprung, near rhyme, oblique rhyme, off rhyme or imperfect rhyme), is consonance on the final consonants of the words involved18
9803831712Heroic coupletPoems constructed by a sequence of two lines of (usually rhyming) verse in iambic pentameter. If these couplets do not rhyme, they are usually separated by extra white space.19
9803835536IambA metrical foot consisting of one unaccented syllable followed by one accented syllable (for example, rehearse)20
9803835537Iambic meterA meter in which the majority of feet are iambs, the most common English meter21
9803839514Internal rhymeA rhyme in which one or both of the rhyme-words occur within the line22
9804568142Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnetA sonnet consisting of an octave rhyming abbaabba and of a sestet using any arrangement of two or three additional rhymes, such as cdcdcd or cdecde23
9803839515Masculine rhyme(also known as single rhyme) A rhyme in which the stress is on the final syllable of the words (rhyme, sublime)24
9803843026MeterRegularized rhythm; an arrangement of language in which the accents occur at apparently equal intervals in time25
9803843027Octave(1) An eight-line stanza. (2) The first eight lines of a sonnet, especially one structured in the manner of an Italian sonnet26
9803846356Perfect rhymeA rhyme in which is when the later part of the word or phrase is identical sounding to another. Types include masculine and feminine, among others27
9803846357PentameterA metrical line containing five feet28
9803849358Quatrain(1) A four-line stanza. (2) A four-line division of a sonnet marked off by its rhyme scheme29
9803849359RefrainA repeated word, phrase, line, or group of lines, normally at some fixed position in a poem written in stanziac form30
9803852312RhymeThe repetition of an identical or similarly accented sound or sounds in a work. Lyricists may find multiple ways to rhyme within a verse. End rhymes have words that rhyme at the end of a verse-line. Internal rhymes have words that rhyme within it.31
9803852313Rhyme schemeAny fixed pattern of rhymes characterizing a whole poem or its stanzas32
9803855552ScansionThe process of measuring verse, that is, of marking accented and unaccented syllables, dividing the lines into feet, identifying the metrical pattern, and noting significant variations from that pattern33
9803855553Sestet(1) A six-line stanza (2) The last six lines of a sonnet structured on the Italian model34
9803855554SpondeeA metrical foot consisting of two syllables equally or almost equally accented (for example, true-blue)35
9803861380StanzaA group of lines whose metrical pattern (and usually its rhyme scheme as well) is repeated throughout a poem36
9803861381SyntaxThe arrangement of words to form phrases, clauses and sentences; sentence construction37
9803866200Terza RimaA three-line stanza form borrowed from the Italian poets. The rhyme scheme is: aba, bcb, cdc, ded, etc38
9803866201TetrameterA metrical line containing four feet39
9803869082TrimeterA metrical line containing three feet40
9803869083Triple meterA meter in which a majority of the feet contain three syllables. (Actually, if more than 25 percent of the feet in a poem are triple, its effect is more triple than duple, and it ought perhaps to be referred to as triple meter.) Anapestic and dactylic are both triple meters.41
9803872774Trochaic meterA meter in which the majority of feet are trochees42
9803872775TrocheeA metrical foot consisting of one accented syllable followed by one unaccented syllable (for example, barter43

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