Ap Lang Summer Assignment

Figure of speech

A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Include apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche and understatement

allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

Conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. It displays cleverness as a result of an unusual comparison being made.

Onomatopoeia

A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of the word

Personification

A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Often has a comic effect, however a serious effect is also possible. Produces irony

Metohor

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things.

Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the author subordinates one element should also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing.

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work

anecdote

A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event. The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

Analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

Aphorism

A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. A memorable summation of the authors point

Satire

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Regardless of whether the works aims to reform human behavior. In many devices such irony, wit, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, sarcasm

Pedantic

Adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academics, or bookish

undertone

An attitude that may lie under the ostensible tone of the piece.

Invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong abusive language

Parody

Closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of being comical. Distorts or exaggerates distinctive features of the original. It mimics the work by repeating or borrowing words, phrases or characters to illuminate weaknesses in the original

Irony/ ironic

Contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is means. Between what appears and what is true. Verbal: words state the opposite of what the writers true meaning. Situational: events turn opposite of what is expected. Dramatic: facts or events are unknown to the character in a play or piece of fiction but know to the reader. Mostly for humor

Inference/infer

Draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. Safest answer choice

Repetition

Duplication of either exact or approximate of any element of language such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, grammatical pattern

Euphemism

From the Greek for "good speech," are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept. may be used to adhere to standards of social or political correctness or to add humor or ironic understatement. Saying "earthly remains" rather than "corpse" is an example

Rhetoric

From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Sarcasm

From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic (that is, intended to ridicule). When well done, sarcasm can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it is simply cruel.

symbol/symbolism

Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. usually something concrete such as object action or character but also sometimes more abstract. Three categories: Natural - symbols from nature that represent things commonly associated with them, Conventional: invested with meaning by a group (crucifix), Literary: found in a variety of works and are generalized (whale in moby dick)

Mood

Grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speakers attitude. Indicative: only for factual sentences. Subjective: express conditions contrary to facts. Imperative: used for commands. Prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of work

Oxymoron

Greek " pointedly foolish". Author groups contradictory terms to suggest paradox

Parallelism

Greek "beside one another". Structural similarity. Repetition of grammatical element such as preposition or verbal phrase

Exposition

In essays, one of the four chief types of composition, the others being argumentation, description, and narration. The purpose of exposition is to explain something. In drama, the exposition is the introductory material, which creates the tone, gives the setting, and introduces the characters and conflict.

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 (or 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. Example: Yellowstone is a national park in the West that is known for its geysers. underlined phrase = subordinate clause

Loose sentece

Main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. Relaxed, informal, conversational

Genre

Major category in which a literary work fits into. Basic division: prose, poetry, drama. Within these broad boundaries exists many subdivisions. Pese can be divided into fiction and nonfiction. Poetry can be divided into lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic, etc. Drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, etc.

Prose

Major divisions of genres, refers to fiction and nonfiction. Determines the length of a line in a poem

Homily

Means "sermon". Includes any little story, anecdote, serious talk, speech, lecture, involving moral or spiritual advice

Didactic

Means teaching, have primary aim of teaching and instructing especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles

metonymy

Name of one object is substituted for another closely associated with it

Predicate adjective

One type of subject complement —adjective that follows a a linking verb. Modifies the subject

Point of view

Perspective from with the story is told. First person: Is the character in the story. Third person: arrostir tells the story. Two subdivision: omniscient ( knows all) and limited omniscient ( present feeling of one and only actions of others)

Diction

Related to style, refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

Predicate nominative

Second type of sentence complement- an adjective — noun follows a linking verb. Predicate of the sentence and modifies and describes subject

Periodic sentence

Sentence that presents its central message in the main clause at the end. Clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone. Adds emphasis and structural variety

Paradox

Statement that appears to be self contradictory or opposed to common sense but contains same sense of truth

Narrative

Telling of a story or an account on an event or series of events

Semantics

The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotations, and their relation to one another.

theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life; usually unstated in fiction but stated in nonfiction

Style

The consideration has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other 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, laconic, etc. (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.

Allegory

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

Atmosphere

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute. It can foreshadow events and create a mood.

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Connotation

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. May involve ideas, emotions, attitude, or color

Alliteration

The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words

Imagery

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion or represent abstraction. Uses terms terms related to five senses. One image can represent more than one thing. Uses it when employing other figures of speech especially metaphor and simile. Can apply to total of all images in a work

Rhetor

The speaker who uses elements of rhetoric effectively in oral or written test

colloquial/colloquialism

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects.

Syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Similar to diction but it is a group of words not a single word

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

Rhetorical modes

This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. The four most common are exposition, argumentation, persuasion, description

Generic conventions

This term describes tradition from each genre.these conventions help define each genre, for example they differentiate an essay and journalism writing or an autobiography and political writing

Figurative language

Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to imaginative and vivid

Syllogism

a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion

Apostrophe

a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or a personified abstraction such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer

Coherence

a principle demanding that the parts of any sentence, paragraph, or composition be so arranged that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible. Words, phrases , clauses within the sentence, paragraphs, and chapters in a larger pieces of writing are the units, that, by their progressive and logical arrangement, make it

transition

a word or phrase that links different ideas; mostly is expository and argumentative, efefctively signal a shift from one idea to another

trope

an artful variation from expected modes of expression of thoughts and ideas, involves a turn or change of sense-- a use of the word in a sense other than its proper or literal one.

unreliable narrator

an untrustworthy or naive commentator on events and characters in a story. (Huck Finn)

tone

describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both; easier to determine in spoken language than unspoken

wit

intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights; suggests the speaker's verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks; uses terse language that makes a pointed remark

Denotation

strict literal dictionary definition of a word, devoid or any emotion attitude or color

Understatement

the ironic minimizing of a fact, understatement presents something as less significant that it is. Opposite of hyperbole

thesis

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

subject complement

the word or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either renaming it or describing it