AP Lang Terms Dumbed Down
apostrophe
addresses absent/imaginary person or personified abstraction (like love)
figure of speech
any device that makes figurative language; many compare unlike things
allegory
character/story element symbolically represent something more abstract than the literal meaning; usually moral truth or generalization about human existence
analogy
comparison between two different things
irony/ironic
contrast between what is stated and what is really meant, between what appears to be and what is true 1. verbal - words literally state opposite of true meaning 2. situational - events turn out opposite of expectations 3. dramatic - readers know something characters don't
atmosphere
emotional mood created by the entire work; partly by setting, objects, weather, etc; can foreshadow
hyperbole
exaggeration or overstatement
conceit
fancy expression; usually extended metaphor or surprising analogy between unlike things; shows cleverness
euphemism
less offensive substitutes for unpleasant words/concepts; can add humor or irony; "passed away" instead of "died"
denotation
literal dictionary meaning
loose sentence
main idea (independent clause) comes first
extended metaphor
metaphor developed at great length; occurs frequently throughout work
ambiguity
multiple meanings
connotation
nonliteral implied meaning; involves ideas, emotions, attitudes
asyndeton
not including conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words; "I came. I saw. I conquered."
juxtaposition
putting two different things side-by-side to compare/contrast; reveal something by seeing its opposite
allusion
reference to something in history, literature, religion, or myths
anaphora
repeating word/phrase at beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines
epistrophe
repeating word/phrase at the end of several clauses
alliteration
repetition of sounds, usually first consonants; for meaning or musical sound; "she sells sea shells"
imagery
sensory details to describe, arouse emotions, represent abstractions (can represent more than 1 thing); related to the 5 senses
anecdote
short story about real incident/person; helps audience connect on personal level
aphorism
statement about general truth or moral; unknown author = folk proverb; sums up the author's point; "actions speak louder than words"
litotes
understatement; affirm something by stating the negative of its opposite; "she's not unattractive"
colloquial/colloquialism
use of slang; not okay for formal stuff; gives conversational/familiar tone; includes dialects
antecedent
what the pronoun refers to
diction
writer's word choices; formal vs informal, ornate vs plain
figurative language
writing/speech that doesn't carry literal meaning; imaginative and vivid
