AP English Language Terms Flashcards

4855279138	Analogy	Explaining something complex by comparing it to something more simple.	0
4855288042	Argument	The combination of reasons, evidence, etc that an author uses to convince an audience of their position.	1
4855312714	Aristotelian appeals	Three different methods of appealing to an audience to convince them—ethos, logos, and pathos.	2
4855320250	Attitude	The writer's personal views or feelings about the subject at hand.	3
4855321854	Audience	Who the author is directing his or her message towards	4
4855328276	Compare and contrast	Discussing the similarities and differences between two things to some persuasive or illustrative purpose.	5
4855363733	Connotation	The implied meaning of a word; words can broadly have positive, negative, or neutral connotations.	6
4855365682	Context	The extra-textual environment in which the text is being delivered.	7
4855372082	Counterargument	The argument(s) against the author's position.	8
4855383332	Deductive reasoning	A form of logical reasoning wherein a general principle is applied to a specific case.	9
4855385075	Denotation	The literal, dictionary-definition meaning of a word.	10
4855397578	Diction	The style of language used; generally tailored to be appropriate to the audience and situation.	11
4855399687	Ethos	Setting up a source as credible and trustworthy.	12
4855425802	Evidence	The information presented meant to persuade the audience of the author's position.	13
4855435584	Figurative language	The use of language in a non-literal way; i.e. metaphor, simile, etc.	14
4855438204	Genre	The specific type of work being presented.	15
4855440636	Imagery	Any descriptive language used to evoke a vivid sense or image of something; includes figurative language.	16
4855487373	Implication	When something is suggested without being concretely stated.	17
4855495764	Inductive reasoning	Making a generalization based on specific evidence at hand.	18
4855499441	Irony	At the most basic sense, saying the opposite of what you mean; also used to describe situations in which the results of an action are dramatically different than intended.	19
4855514259	Juxtaposition	Placing two very different things together for effect.	20
4855531747	Logos	Appealing to someone's sense of concrete facts and logic.	21
4899225496	Occasion	The reason or moment for writing or speaking	22
4899227989	Organization	How the different parts of an argument are arranged in a piece of writing or speech.	23
4899230328	Pathos	An Aristotelian appeal. Involves appealing to someone's emotions.	24
4899232339	Purpose	The author's persuasive intention.	25
4899234921	Repetition	Re-using a word or phrase repeatedly for effect or emphasis.	26
4899236552	Rhetoric	The use of spoken or written word (or a visual medium) to convey your ideas and convince an audience.	27
4899238856	Rhetorical triangle	The relationship between the author, the audience, the text/message, and the context.	28
4899240495	Speaker	The persona adopted by the author to deliver his or her message; may or may not actually be the same person as the author.	29
4899242895	Style	The author's own personal approach to rhetoric in the piece; similar to voice.	30
4899244626	Symbolism	Using a symbol to refer to an idea or concept.	31
4899247053	Syntax	The way sentences are grammatically constructed.	32
4899249822	Synthesis	Combining sources or ideas in a coherent way in the purpose of a larger point.	33
4899253031	Themes	Overarching ideas or driving premises of a work	34
4899255337	Tone	The use of stylistic devices to reveal an author's attitude toward a subject.	35
4899257915	Voice	An author's unique sound. Similar to style.	36
4899260026	Alliteration	Using words with the same first letter repeatedly close together in a phrase or sentence.	37
4899261766	Allusion	Making a brief reference to the cultural canon—e.g. the Bible, Shakespeare, classical mythology, etc.	38
4899264307	Anecdote	Offering a brief narrative episode. This device can serve many functions in a text—for example, introducing an issue, serving as evidence, to illustrate a point, and so on.	39
4899266978	Concession	Agreeing with the opposing viewpoint on a certain smaller point (but not in the larger argument).	40
4899269923	Didactic	A text with an instructive purpose, often moral.	41
4899271694	Euphemism	Referring to something with a veiled phrase instead of saying it directly	42
4899273649	Exemplification	Providing examples in service of a point.	43
4899275934	Hyperbole	Overstating a situation for humorous or dramatic effect.	44
4899278014	Idiom	A commonly used phrase that signifies something very different than its literal meaning.	45
4899284639	Onomatopoeia	Using "sound-effect" words (e.g. "clap," "buzz).	46
4899286869	Paradox	A phrase or assertion that appears to contradict itself (but the contradiction itself may have its own meaning).	47
4899288663	Parallelism	Repeated structural elements in a sentence.	48
4899290646	Parody	Using the form of something to mimic and make fun of it.	49
4899323433	Personification	Giving human characteristics to a nonhuman object or idea.	50
4899341320	Sarcasm	Mockingly stating the opposite of what you mean. Easier to convey in the spoken word than via writing.	51
4899345100	Satire	A genre of humorous and mocking criticism to expose the ignorance and/or ills of society	52
4899352266	Synecdoche	Referring to one part of something as a way to refer to the whole	53
4899375167	Understatement	Deliberately minimizing something, usually for humorous effect.	54