ap language terms Flashcards

4263120637	anaphora	a repetition of a word or of words at the beginning of two or more successive clauses	0
4263130593	euphemism	the act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt or offensive	1
4263162324	paradox	a nonsensational underlying truth	2
4263168620	syntax	that part of grammar which treats of the construction of sentences; the due arrangement of words in sentences in their necessary relations, according to established usage in any language	3
4263177135	ad hominem	when a writer personally attacks his or her opponents instead of their arguments	4
4263184521	colloquial	the use of slang or informalities of speech or writing. not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. colloquial expressions in writing include regional dialect	5
4263211488	ambiguity	the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage	6
4263224855	parallelism	Parallelism Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning "beside one another." It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of believe, it was the epoch of incredulity....") The effects of parallelism are numerous, but frequently they act as an organizing force to attract the reader's attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm	7
4263234172	satire	A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether or not the work aims to reform human behavior, satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing. It can be recognized by the many devices used effectively by the satirist: irony, wit, parody, caricature, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition	8
4263258099	anecdote	a brief story that illustrates or makes a point	9
4263266115	allegory	The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. The typical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. A story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself	10
4263275676	literary conceit	A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects Displays intellectual cleverness through unusual comparisons that make good sense	11
4263286300	invective	an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language	12
4263294128	pedantic	An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that might be described as "show-offy"; using big words for the sake of using big words).	13
4263305574	syllogism	From the Greek for "reckoning together," a syllogism (or syllogistic reasoning or syllogistic logic) is a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called "major" and the second called "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion. A frequently cited example proceeds as follows: major premise: All men are mortal. minor premise: Socrates is a man. conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is a mortal. A syllogism's conclusion is valid only if each of the two premises is valid. Syllogisms may also present the specific idea first ("Socrates") and the general second ("all men")	14
4263335246	anadiplosis	Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or terms in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or phrase ex: "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." - Yoda	15
4263358826	antimeria	the substitution of one part of speech for another ex: "The little old lady turtled along the road."	16
4263371101	chisamus	Chisamus 'chi structure' unlike abab / language listed in an abba form: ex: Ask not what your country Can do for you, But what you Can do for your country	17
4269346039	metonymy	A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example, a news release that claims "the White House declared" rather than "the President declared" is using metonymy	18
4269372116	prose	one of the major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. In prose the printer determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line	19
4269386139	semantics	The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another	20
4269429913	aphorism	A terse statement of know authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author's point.	21
4269446151	coherence	A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible. Words, phrases, clauses within the sentence; and sentences, paragraphs, and chpters in larger pieces of writing are the unit that by their progressive and logical arrangement, make for coherence	22
4269457833	enumeratio	Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something. Ex. I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips. "Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate; it's peppermint; it's delicious. . . It's very refreshing!" - Kramer (Seinfeld).	23
4269487857	polysyndeton	Figure of addition and emphasis which intentionally employs a series of conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) not normally found in successive words, phrases or clauses; the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses. The effect is a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up - a persistence or intensity. Ex. They read and studied and wrote and drilled. I laughed and talked and flunked. "It's [foorball] a way of life, really, to those particular people who are a part of it. It's more than a game, and regardless of what level it's played upon, it still demands those attributes of courage and stamina and coordinated efficiency and goes even beyond that for [it] is a means - it provides a mental and physical relaxation to everybody that watches it, like yourself." - Vince Lombardi	24
4269519571	epanalepsis	Repetition at the end of a clause or sentence of the word or phrase with which it began: a combination of anaphoraand epistrophe."Next timethere won't be a next time." (Phil Leotardo in The Sopranos) "AlwaysLow Prices. Always." (Walmart slogan)	25
4269547501	appositive	a word or phrase that follow a noun or pronoun for emphasis or clarity	26
4269564422	zeugma	When a word is used with two adjacent words in the same construction, but only makes literal sense with one of them	27
4269577636	cogent	convincing ; reasonable	28
4269589823	didactic	intended to instruct	29
4269609329	eloquence	the ability to speak vividly or persuasively	30
4269655677	anachronism	Something that is historically inaccurate for example the reference to a clock chiming in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar	31
4269681772	enjambment	A line of verse that flows on into the next line without a pause	32
4269692062	equivoque	Special type of pun that makes use of a single word or phrase which has two disparate meanings, in a context which makes both meanings equally relevant. The art of writing this pun is equivocation. As an example, an epitaph for a bank teller might read: He checked his cash, cashed in his checks, And left his window. Who is next?	33
4269699933	exemplum	A story that contains or illustrates a moral point put forward as an "example."	34
4269703659	fabliau	A short comic tale with a bawdy element. ex: Chaucer's The Miller's Tale contains elements of the fabliau.	35
4269748754	jargon	A characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"	36
4269754443	litotes	Noun. From Greek lítōtēs for "plain" or "simple." Assertion of an affirmative by negating its contrary. Example: "He's not the brightest man in the world," meaning "he is stupid." It is a simple form of understatement, often in Anglo-Saxon poetry, like Beowulf, it is a statement of grim irony. Example, in describing the dwelling place of the monster Grendel, Hrothgar states, "That is not a pleasant place." General example: "He is two bricks shy of a full load," meaning his reasoning powers are not all there.	37
4270840954	paradox(ical statement)	apparently self-contradictory statement, the underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny. The purpose of a paradox is to arrest attention and provoke fresh thought	38
4270863266	vernacular	the characteristic language of a particular group (see also colloquialism); often slang or informal	39
4270911373	alliteration	The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells"). Although the term is not frequently in the multiple choice section, you can look for _____ in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage	40
4270916688	antecedent	The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP language exam occasionally asks for the _____ of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences.	41
4270947734	epigraph	the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme	42
4270947391	concrete language	Language that describes specific, observable things, people, or places, rather than ideas or qualities	43
4270954990	syntactic fluency	Ability to create a variety of sentence structures, appropriately complex and/or simple and varied in length	44
4270967084	consonance	repetition of a consonant sound within a series of words for a harmonious effect	45
4270982190	asyndeton	a deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses. The parts are emphasized equally when the conjunction is omitted; in addition, the use of commas with no intervening conjunction speeds up the flow of the sentence	46
4271012546	Tricolon	Sentence consisting of three parts of equal importance and length, usually three independent clauses.	47
4271018269	rhetorical question	one that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience.	48
4271032571	oxymoron	a figure of speech composed of contradictory words or phrases, such as "wise fool," bitter-sweet," "pretty ugly," "jumbo shrimp," "cold fire"	49
4271038760	motif	main theme or subject of a work that is elaborated on in the development of the piece; a repeated pattern or idea ex:In Mark Twain's "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn", we see several motifs that support the central idea of the narrative. The motif of childhood gives the novel a lighter tone and makes it enjoyable to read despite its grave central idea i.e. slavery and racism	50
4271058950	inversion	reversing the customary (subject first, then verb, then complement) order of elements in a sentence or phrase; it is used effectively in many cases, such as posing a question: "Are you going to the store?" Usually, the element that appears first is emphasized more than the subject.	51