Ap Lang Terms.

212112741	Absolute	A word free from limitations or qualifications.
212112742	Adage	a familiar proverb or wise saying
212112743	Ad Hominem Argument	an argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue.
212112744	Allegory	A literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions
212112745	Alliteration	the repetition of initial consonant sounds
212112746	Allusion	a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize
212112747	Analogy	a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
212112748	Anaphora	the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences
212112749	Anecdote	a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event
212112750	Antecedent	the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.
212112751	Antithesis	a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced
212112752	Aphorism	A concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance
212112753	Apostrophe	a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction
212112754	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
212112755	Argument	A statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work
212112756	Asyndeton	a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions
212112757	Balanced Sentence	a sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast
212112758	Bathos	insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity
212112759	Chiasmus	a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
212112760	Cliche	an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off
212112761	Climax	the point of highest interest in a literary work
212112762	Colloquialism	informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing
212112763	Complex Sentence	A sentence that includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
212112764	Compound Sentence	a sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions
212112765	Conceit	a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor
212112766	Concrete Details	Details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events
212112767	Connotation	The implied or associative meaning of a word.
212112768	Cumulative Sentence	A sentence in which the main independent clause is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases.
212112769	Declarative Sentence	A sentence that makes a statement or declaration.
212112770	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.)
212112771	Denotation	The literal meaning of a word.
212112772	Dialect	A variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region.
212112773	Dialogue	Conversation between two or more people.
212112774	Diction	The word choices made by a writer.
212112775	Didactic	Having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing.
212112776	Dilemma	A situation that requires a person to decide between two equally attractive or equally unattractive alternatives.
212112777	Dissonance	harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds.
212112778	Elegy	A formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme.
212112779	Ellipsis	The omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context. ("Some prefer cats; others, dogs.")
212112780	Epic	a long narrative poem written in elevated style which present the adventures of characters of high position and episodes that are important to the history of a race or nation
212112781	Epigram	A brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying.
212112782	Epigraph	A saying or statement on the title page of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work.
212112783	Epiphany	A moment of sudden revelation or insight.
212112784	Epitaph	An inscription on a tombstone or burial place.
212112785	Epithet	a term used to point out a characteristic of a person. Homeric epithets are often compound adjectives ("swift-footed Achilles") that become an almost formulaic part of a name. Epithets can be abusive or offensive but are not so by definition. For example, athletes may be proud of given epithets ("The Rocket").
212112786	Eulogy	A formal speech praising a person who has died.
212112787	Euphemism	An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant.
212112788	Exclamatory Sentence	A sentence expressing strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark.
212112789	Expletive	An interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes, a profanity.
212112790	Fable	A brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters.
212112791	Fantasy	A story that concerns an unreal world or contains unreal characters; a fantasy may be merely whimsical, or it may present a serious point.
212112792	Figurative Language	Language employing one or more figures of speech (similie, metaphor, imagery, etc.)
212112793	Flashback	The insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a narrative.
212112794	Flat Character	A character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story.
212112795	Foreshadowing	The presentation of material in such a way that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work.
212112796	Frame Device	A story within a story. (Ex.: "Canterbury Tales.")
212112797	Genre	A major category or type of literature.
212112798	Homily	A sermon, or moralistic lecture.
212112799	Hubris	Excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tagedy.
212112800	Hyperbole	Intentional exxageration to create an effect.
212112801	Hypothetical Question	A question that raises a hypothesis, conjecture, or supposition.
212112802	Idiom	An expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression; or, a regional speech or dialect.
212112803	Imagery	The use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to one of the senses.
212112804	Implication	A suggestion an author or speaker makes (implies) without stating it directly.
212112805	Inductive Reasoning	Deriving general principles from particular facts or instances ("Every cat I have ever seen has four legs; cats are four-legged animals.")
212112806	Inference	A conclusion one draws (infers) based on premises or evidence.
212112807	Invective	An intenselt vehement, highly emotional verbal attack.
212112808	Irony	The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; or, incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs.
212112809	Jargon	The specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession.
212112810	Juxtaposition	Placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast.
212112811	Legend	A narrative handed down from the past, containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements.
212112812	Limerick	Light verse consisting of five lines of regular rhythm in which the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, and the second and third lines rhyme.
212112813	Limited Narrator	A narrator who presents the story as it is seen and understood by a single character and restricts information to what is seen, heard, thought, or felt by that one character.
212112814	Literary License	Deviating from normal rules or methods in order to achieve a certain effect. (EX.: intentional fragment sentences.)
212112815	Litotes	A type of understatment in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite. (Describing a particularly horrific scene by saying, "It was not a pretty picture.")
212112816	Malapropism	A mistaken substitution of one word for another word that sounds similar.
212112817	Maxim	A concise statement, often offerin advice; an adage.
212112818	Metaphor	A direct comparison of two different things.
212112819	Metonymy	Sustituting the name of one object for another closely associated with it.
212112820	Mood	The emotional atmosphere of a work.
212112821	Motif	A standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works
212112822	Motivation	A character's incentive or reason for behaving in a certain manner; that which impels a character to act.
212112823	Myth	A traditional story presenting supernatural characters and episodes that help explain natural events.
212112824	Narrative	A story or narrated account.
212112825	Narrator	The one who tells the story; may be first- or third- person, limited or omniscient.
212112826	Non sequitur	An inference that does not follow logically from the premises.
212112827	Omniscient Narrator	A narrator who is able to know, see, and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters.
212112828	Onomatopoeia	A word formed from the imitation of natural sounds
212112829	Oxymoron	An expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined.
212112830	Parable	A simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson
212112831	Paradox	An apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth.
212112832	Parallelism	The use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms.
212112833	Paraphrase	A restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity.
212112834	Parody	A humorous imitation of a serious work.
212112835	Parenthetical	A comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain.
212112836	Pathos	The quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity.
212112837	Pedantic	Characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship.
212112838	Personification	Endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics.
212112839	Philippic	A strong verbal denunction. The term comes from the orations of Demosthenes ahainst Philip of Macedonia in the fourth century.
212112840	Plot	The action of a narrative or drama.
226054460	Point of View	The vantage point from which a story is told.
226054461	Polysyndeton	The use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural.
226054462	Pun	A play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings.
226054463	Resolution	The falling action of a narrative; the events following the climax.
226054464	Rhetoric	The art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner.
226054465	Rhetorical Question	A question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer.
226054466	Rhetorical Devices	Literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression.
226054467	Riddle	A question requiring thought to answer or understand; a puzzle or conundrum.
226054468	Romantic	a term describing a character or literary work that reflects the characteristics of Romanticism, the literary movement beginning in the late 18th century that stressed emotion, imagination, and individualism
226054469	Round Character	A character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work.
226054470	Sarcasm	Harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule.
226054471	Satire	The use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions.
226054472	Scapegoat	A person or group that bears the blame for another
226054473	Scene	A real or fictional episode; a division of an act in a play.
226054474	Setting	The time, place, and environment in which action takes place.
226054475	Simile	A comparison of two things using "like" or "as," or other specifically comparative words.
226054476	Simple Sentence	A sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause.
226054477	Solecism	Nonstandard grammatical usage; a violation of grammatical rules.
226054478	Structure	The arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work.
226054479	Style	The choices a write makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work.
226054480	Surrealism	An artistic movement emphasizing the imagination and characterized by incongrous juxtapositions and lack of conscious control.
226054481	Syllepsis	A construction in which one word is used in two different senses. {"After he threw the ball, he threw a fit.")
226054482	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.")
226054483	Symbol	An object that is used to represent something else.
226054484	Synecdoche	Using one part of an object to represent the entire object (Referring to a car simply as wheels.)
226054485	Synesthesia	Describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color" or "a sweet sound")
226054486	Syntax	A manner in which words are arranged into sentences.
226054487	Tautology	Needless repitition which adds no meaning or understanding ("widow woman," "free gift")
226054488	Theme	A central idea of a work
226054489	Thesis	The primary position taken by a writer or speaker.
226054490	Tone	The attitude of a writer, usually implied toward the subject or audience.
226054491	Topic	The subject treated in a paragraph or work.
226054492	Tragedy	A work in which the protagonist, a person of high degree, is engaged in a significant stuggle and which ends in ruin or destruction.
226054493	Trilogy	A work in three parts, each of which is a complete work in itself.
226054494	Trite	Overused and hackneyed
226054495	Turning Point	The point in a work in which a very significant change occurs
226054496	Understatement	The deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis.
226054497	Usage	The customary way language or its elements are used.
226054498	Vernacular	The everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage.