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O'Connor AP Vocab
N/A
65
English
11th Grade
01/11/2010

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Term
ad hominem
Definition
an argument which attacks an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue
Term
allegory
Definition
a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abrstractions
Term
alliteration
Definition
the practice of beginning several consecutive or neighboring words with the same sound
Term
allusion
Definition
a reference to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place, or thing
Term
analogy
Definition
a comparison between two different things which are similar in some way
Term
anaphora
Definition
the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines
Term
anecdote
Definition
a brief personal narrative which focuses on a particular incident or event
Term
antithesis
Definition
a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced
Term
aphorism
Definition
a concise statement which expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance
Term
apostrophe
Definition
a form of personification in which the absent or dead are spoken to as if present and the inanimate as if animate
Term
assonance
Definition
the repetition of accented vowel sounds in a series of words
Term
chiasmus
Definition
a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
Term
colloquialism
Definition
informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing
Term
conceit
Definition
a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor
Term
connotation
Definition
the implied or associative meaning of a word
Term
consonance
Definition
the repetition of a consonant sound within a series of words to produce a harmonious effect
Term
denotation
Definition
the literal meaning of a word
Term
details
Definition
the facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in a piece of writing
Term
diction
Definition
the word choices made by an author that convey a certain effect
Term
didactic
Definition
intended primarily to teach or instruct
Term
ellipsis
Definition
the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context
Term
epiphany
Definition
a moment of sudden revelation or insight
Term
euphemism
Definition
an idirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
Term
foreshadowing
Definition
the use of hints or clues to suggest future action
Term
genre
Definition
a major category or type of literature
Term
hyperbole
Definition
deliberate, extravagant exaggeration used to create an effect
Term
imagery
Definition
the words or phrases a writer uses to represent persons, objects, actions, feelings, and ideas descriptively by appealing to the senses
Term
invective
Definition
an intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attack
Term
irony
Definition
occurs in a situation or statement in which the truth is the opposite of appearances
Term
litotes
Definition
a type of understatement in which something affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite
Term
metaphor
Definition
a comparison of two unliked things without using "like" or "as"
Term
metonymy
Definition
substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it
Term
mood
Definition
the atmosphere or predominant emotion in a literary work
Term
motif
Definition
a standard theme or dramatic situation which recurs in various works
Term
non-sequitur
Definition
an inference that does not follow logically from the premise
Term
onomatopoeia
Definition
the use of words that mimic the sound they describe
Term
oxymoron
Definition
a form of paradox that combines a pair of opposite terms into a single unusual expression
Term
paradox
Definition
occurs when the elements of a statement contradict each other
Term
parody
Definition
a humorous imitation of a serious work
Term
pathos
Definition
the quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity or sorrow
Term
pedantic
Definition
an excessive display of learning or scholarship
Term
personification
Definition
endowing non-human objects or abstract ideas with human qualities or characteristics
Term
plot
Definition
the sequence of events or actions in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem
Term
point of view
Definition
the perspectice from which a narrative is told
Term
prosody
Definition
the study of sound and rhythm in poetry
Term
protagonist
Definition
the central character of a drama, novel, short story, or narrative poem
Term
pun
Definition
a play on words that are identical or similar in sound but have sharply diverse meanings
Term
repetition
Definition
the deliberate use of any element of language more than once
Term
rhyme
Definition
the repetition of sounds in two or more words or phrases that appear close to each other in a poem
Term
sarcasm
Definition
harsh, cutting language or tone designed to ridicule
Term
satire
Definition
the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections
Term
setting
Definition
the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem takes place
Term
shift
Definition
refers to a change or movement in a piece resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader
Term
simile
Definition
a comparison of two different things or ideas using the words "like" or "as"
Term
structure
Definition
the framework or organization of a literary work
Term
style
Definition
the overall manner in which a writer expresses ideas
Term
syllepsis
Definition
the linking of one word with two other words in two strikingly different ways
Term
syllogism
Definition
a logical argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise
Term
symbol
Definition
any object, person, place, or action that is something in itself but is used to represent something else, such as a quality, attitude, belief, or value
Term
synecdoche
Definition
using one part of the object to represent the whole
Term
syntax
Definition
the arrangement of words into sentences
Term
tautology
Definition
needless repitition which adds no meaning or understanding
Term
theme
Definition
the central message of a literary work
Term
tone
Definition
the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience
Term
understatement
Definition
the deliberate representation of something as being much less than it is
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