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Semster Finals
literary techniques
105
English
12th Grade
12/11/2010

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Term

Allusion

Definition
An indirect reference; often to another text or a historic event

*Used to introduce variety into an argument
Term
Anecdote
Definition
A short account of an interesting event

*Used to give more incite into the narrators life
Term
Annotation
Definition
Explanatory or critical notes added to a text

*Used to aid the reader
Term
Argument
Definition
A statement put forth and supported by evidence

*Used to inform the reader
Term

Assertion

 

Definition
An emphatic statement; declaration

*Used to emphasize a point
Term
Assumption
Definition
A belief or statement taken for granted with out proof

*Used to display the credibility of the narrator as some what presumptuous.
Term
Attitude
Definition
The speakers position on a subject as revealed through his/her tone

*Used to show the reader the position of the narrator
Term
Audience
Definition
One's listener or reader; those whom a speech or a piece of writing is addressed  

*Someone that watches a play
Term
Authority
Definition
A reliable, respected source-- someone with knowledge

*Used to show the reader that the source is credible
Term
Bias
Definition
Prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a subject or issue 

*Used to show the reader the position of the narrator
Term
Cite
Definition
Identifying a part of a piece of writing from a source

*Gives credit to the author of the source
Term
Claim
Definition
An assertion usually supported by evidence

*Informs the reader
Term
Close Reading
Definition
A careful reading that is attentive to organization, figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary and other literary/structural elements of text

*Gives the reader a better understanding of the text/informs
Term
Common Ground
Definition
Shared beliefs, values or positions

*Shows the reader a middle to two sides
Term
Concession
Definition
A reluctant acknowledgement or yeilding

*Informs
Term
Explication of Text
Definition
Explination of a text's meaning through an analysis of all of its constituent parts, including the literary devices; also called close reading

*Aids the reader/informs
Term
Ethos
Definition
A greek term for referring to the character of a person; one of three appeals

*Appeals to the ethical person/argument
Term
Facts
Definition
Information that is true

*Informs the reader
Term
Context
Definition
Words, events or circumstances that help determine meaning

*Informs the reader
Term
Counterargument
Definition
A challenge to a position; an opposing argument

*informs the reader
Term
Credible
Definition
Worthy of belief; trustworthy

*Aids the reader in making a decision on what side he/she stands on an argument by the truth of the sources
Term
Elegiac
Definition
Mournful over what has passed or been lost; often used to describe tone

*Makes the reader empathetic with the narrator
Term
Documentation
Definition
Bibliographic information about the sources used in a piece of writing

*To give credit to the author of a source within the piece
Term
Diction
Definition
Word choice

*Used to form the pieces tone, style...etc.
Term
Dialectal Journal
Definition
A double-column journal in which one writes a quotation in one column and reflections on that quote in the other column

*Study aid
Term
Deduction
Definition
Reasoning from general to specific

*organizes the piece
Term
Voice
Definition
A distinctive quality in the style and tone of writing 

*The style of the author
Term
Trope
Definition
Artful diction; the use of language in a non-literal way; also called figure of speech

*Adds interest to the piece
Term
Topic Sentence
Definition
A sentence, most often appearing at the beginning of a paragraph , that announces the paragraphs idea and often unites it with the works thesis

*Organizes the paragraph
Term
Tone
Definition
The speakers attitude toward the subject and the audience

*Informs the reader on the attitude of the narrator
Term
Thesis
Definition
The central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer

*Organizes the piece's topics into one opening statement
Term
Synthesize
Definition
Combining or bringing together two or more elements to produce something more complex

*Adds complexity to the piece
Term
Syntax
Definition
Sentence structure

*Adds to the piece
Term
Subject
Definition
The topic addressed in a piece of writing

*The main focus of the author and reader
Term
Style
Definition
The distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of words and figures of speech

*Gives a distinctive lead to the author
Term
Speaker
Definition
Author, or the person whose perspective is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing
Term
Source
Definition
A book, article, person or other resource consulted for information
Term
Sentence Variety
Definition
Using a variety of sentence patterns to create a desired effect
Term
Sentence Patterns
Definition
The arrangement of independent and dependent clauses into known sentence constructions-- such as a simple, compound, complex or compound-complex sentences
Term
Scheme
Definition
A pattern of words or sentence construction used for rhetorical effect
Term
Satire
Definition
An ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it
Term
Rhetorical Question
Definition
A question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer
Term
Rhetorical Modes
Definition
Patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not limited to narration, description, exemplification, classification and division, process analysis and argumentation
Term
Rhetoric
Definition
The study of effective, persuasive language use
Term
Refute
Definition
To discredit an argument, particularly a counterarument
Term
Purpose
Definition
Ones intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing
Term
Propaganda
Definition
A negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than to present information
Term
Premise
Definition

Two parts of a syllogism. The concluding sentence of a syllogism takes its predicate from the major premise and its subject from the minor premise.

Major Premise: All mammals are warm-blooded

Minor Premise: All horses are mammals

Conclusion: All horses are warm-blooded

Term
Polemic
Definition
An argument against an idea, usually regarding philosophy, politics or religion
Term
Persona
Definition
The speaker, voice or character assumed by the author of a piece of writing
Term
Pathos
Definition
A Greek term that refers to suffering but has come to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of three appeals
Term
Parody
Definition
A piece that imitates or exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule
Term
Pacing
Definition
The relative speed or slowness with which a story is told or an idea is presented
Term
Omniscient Narrator
Definition
An all-knowing, usually third person narrator
Term
Occasion
Definition
An aspect of context; the cause or reason for writing
Term
Narration
Definition
Retelling an event or series of events
Term
Logos
Definition
A Greek term that means "word"; an appeal to logic; one of three appeals
Term
Intduction
Definition
Reasoning from specific to general
Term
Horatory
Definition
Urging, or strongly encouraging 
Term
Fragment
Definition
A word, or phrase, or clause that does not form a full sentence
Term
Zeugma
Definition
A construction in which one word modifies or governs-- often in different, sometimes incongruent ways-- two or more words in a sentence
Term
Understatement
Definition
Lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect
Term
Thesis Statement 
Definition
A statement of the central idea in a work, may be explicit or implicit
Term
Syllogism
Definition
A form of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion is supported by a major or minor premise
Term
Subordination
Definition
The dependence of one syntactical element on another in a sentence
Term
Subordinate Clause
Definition
Created by a subordinating conjunction, a clause that modifies the independent clause
Term
Straw Man
Definition
A logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position 
Term
Simple Sentence
Definition
A statement containing a subject and a verb; an independent clause
Term
Simile
Definition
A comparison using "like" or "as"
Term
Rhetorical Triangle
Definition
A diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject and the audience
Term
Pronoun
Definition
A word used to replace a noun or noun phrase
Term
Polysyndeton
Definition
The deliberate use of a series of conjunctions
Term
Personification
Definition
Assigning lifelike characteristics to inanimate objects
Term
Periodic Sentence
Definition
A sentence that builds toward and ends with the main clause
Term
Parallelism
Definition
The repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical patterns
Term
Paradox
Definition
A statement that seems contradictory but is actually true
Term
Nominalization
Definition
Turning a verb or adjective into a noun
Term
Modifier
Definition
A word, phrase or clause that qualifies or describes another word, phrase or clause
Term
Metonymy
Definition
Use of an aspect of something to represent the whole
Term
Metaphor
Definition
A comparison that does not use "like" or "as"
Term
Juxtaposition
Definition
Placement of two things side by side for emphasis
Term
Irony
Definition
A contradiction between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and result
Term
Inversion
Definition
A sentence in which the verb precedes the subject
Term
Imperative Sentence 
Definition
A sentence that requires or commands
Term
Imagery
Definition
Vivid use of language that evokes a readers senses
Term
Hyperbole
Definition
Exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis
Term
Figure of Speech
Definition
An expression that strives for literary effect rather than conveying a literal meaning
Term
Figurative Language
Definition
The use of figures of speech; going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect
Term
Epigram
Definition
A brief, witty statement
Term
Denotation
Definition
The literal meaning of a word; dictionary definition
Term
Declarative Sentence
Definition
A sentence that makes a statement 
Term
Cumulative Sentence
Definition
An independent clause followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail
Term
Coordination
Definition
Grammatical equivalence between parts of a sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction such as "and", or "but"
Term
Connotation
Definition
That which is implied by a word, as opposed to the words literal meaning
Term
Complex Sentence
Definition
A sentence that includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
Term
Colloquial/ism
Definition
An informal or conversational use of language
Term
Asyndeton
Definition
Leaving out conjunctions between words, phrases, clauses
Term
Archaic Diction
Definition
The use of words common to an earlier time period; antiquated language
Term
Appositive
Definition
A word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun
Term
Aphorism
Definition
A short, astute statement of a general truth
Term
Antithesis
Definition
Parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas
Term
Antimetabole
Definition
The repetition of words in an inverted order to sharpen a contrast
Term
Antecedent
Definition
The noun to which a later pronoun refers
Term
Analogy
Definition
An extended comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things
Term
Alliteration
Definition
The repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of consecutive words
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