AP Language Flashcards

10452013997	Abstract	refers to language that describes concepts rather than concrete images ( ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places). The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language	0
10452013998	Ad Hominem	In an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning "against the man."	1
10452013999	Allegory	an extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric. Examples: John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (Temptations of Christians) , Orwell's Animal Farm (Russian Revolution), and Arthur Miller's Crucible ("Red Scare")	2
10452014000	Alliteration	repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to one another: Mickey Mouse; Donald Duck; Daffy Duck; Suzy Sells Seashells	3
10452014001	Allusion	a reference to a well-known person, place, or thing from literature, history, etc. Example: Eden, Scrooge, Prodigal Son, Catch-22, Judas, Don Quixote, Mother Theresa	4
10452014002	Analogy	Comparison of two similar but different things, usually to clarify an action or a relationship, such as comparing the work of a heart to that of a pump. An analogy is a comparison to a directly parallel case. Examples: Shells were to ancient cultures as dollar bills are to modern American culture. Running a business is like managing an orchestra. The heart is like a pump.	5
10452014003	Anaphora	Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent	6
10452014004	Anecdote	a short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effect or to make a point.	7
10452014005	Annotation	Explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data.	8
10452014006	Antithesis	the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs.	9
10452014007	Aphorism	a short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life. Examples: "Early bird gets the worm." "What goes around, comes around.." "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."	10
10452014008	Apostrophe	usually in poetry but sometimes in prose; the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction "For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him." Shakespeare's Julius Caesar	11
10452014009	Argumentation	writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation	12
10452014010	Assonance	repetition of vowel sounds between different consonants, such as in neigh/fade	13
10452014011	Asyndeton	Commas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words. 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. Asyndeton takes the form of X, Y, Z as opposed to X, Y, and Z.	14
10452014012	Cacophony	harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony.	15
10452014013	Caricature	descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person's appearance or a facet of personality.	16
10452014014	Colloquialism	a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't)	17
10452014015	Coherence	quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme, or organizing principle	18
10452014016	Concrete Language	Language that describes specific, observable things, people, or places, rather than ideas or qualities.	19