APEL Terms List (Satire-Wit)

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, "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion. A frequently cited example proceeds as follows: ex:"All mammals are animals. All elephants are mammals. Therefore, all elephants are animals."

tone

- Similar to mood, tone describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's tone. Some words describing tone are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, and somber. ex:It can be joyful, serious, humorous, sad, threatening, formal, informal, pessimistic, and optimistic

wit

A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker's verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. It grew to mean quick perception including creative fancy and a quick tongue to articulate an answer that demanded the same quick perception.

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, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm. The effects of satire are varied, depending on the writer's goal, but good satire, often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition. Ex: political cartoons-satirize political events and/or politicians

unreliable narrator

An untrustworthy or naïve commentator on events and characters in a story. Huck Finn is on of American literature's most famous of this type.

theme

Central idea of a work of literature

symbol/symbolism

Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. ex:White stands for life and purity.

thesis

In expository writing, the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position. Expository writing is usually judged by analyzing how accurately, effectively ,and throughly a writer has proved the thesis. ex: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best type of sandwich because they are versatile, easy to make, and taste good.

Subordinate clause

Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subject and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike the independent clause, the subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. Also called a dependent clause, the subordinate clause depends on a main clause, sometimes called an independent clause, to complete its meaning. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses--for example: although, because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as, while, who, when, where, how, and that. Ex: After (subordinate conjunction) Amy (subject) sneezed (verb) all over the tuna salad.

tone

Similar to mood, tone describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's tone. Some words describing tone are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, somber, etc.

Semantics

The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another. Ex: certain words that we might think have a certain specific meaning can change drastically from one context to the next. For example, consider the word "white." The word probably conjures up a color without hue. But there are numerous uses of the word white in which the sense of "white" is relative to other things. Here is a short list of ways in which we use the word white: White wine White skin White noise White lie

theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually theme is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing. ex:"love," "war," "revenge,"

Style

The consideration of style has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices. Some authors' styles are so idiosyncratic that we can quickly recognize works by the same author (or a writer emulating that author's style). Compare, for example, Jonathan Swift to George Orwell or William Faulkner to Ernest Hemingway. We can analyze and describe an author's personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author's purpose. Styles can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, or laconic, to name only a few examples. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparison, we can see how an author's style reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental or realist movement. Ex: One of the most famous speeches of all time, Martin Luther King Junior's "I Have a Dream" speech, was written beforehand. Yet the most famous part of the speech—the repetition of "I have a dream"—was actually not part of the planned script and was instead Martin Luther King Jr. speaking extemporaneously in a style similar to that of a preacher

Understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous and emphatic. Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole.

syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of syntax as the groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words. In the multiple-choice section, expect to be asked some questions about how an author manipulates syntax. In the essay section, you will need to analyze how syntax produces effects. ex:Work pays the bills.

Subject complement

The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clauses that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it. The former is technically a predicate nominative, the latter a predicate adjective. Multiple-choice questions. Ex: Brandon (subject) is (linking verb) a gifted athlete (noun subject complement).

transition

a word or phrase that links different ideas.

trope

an artful variation from expected modes of expression of thoughts and ideas., a figure of speech involving a "turn" or change of sense—a use of the word in a sense other thanits proper or literal one. Common types of tropes include: metaphor, synecdoche, personification and oxymorons.

untertone

an attitude that may lie under the ostensible tone of the piece. Under a cheery surface, for example, a work may havethreatening undertones. William Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper" from the Songs of Innocence has a grim undertone.

thesis

the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position