Shared Flashcard Set

Details

AP Lit Terms
1st semester final lit terms
85
English
12th Grade
12/12/2012

Additional English Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
allegory
Definition
extended metaphor-literal and symbolic level of meaning
Term
alliteration
Definition
repetition of consonant sound close or vowel sound at beginning
Term
allusion
Definition
reference in lit to something else in lit/history
Term
ambiguity
Definition
negative term for vague expression
Term
analogy
Definition
comparison b/w 2 unlike things w/ similar features
Term
antecedent
Definition
word, phrase, clause referred to by pronoun
Term
antithesis
Definition
opposite phrases in close conjunction
Term
aphorism
Definition
concise statement of a principle
Term
apostrophe
Definition
addressing abstraction or personification not physically present
Term
atmosphere
Definition
emotional mood of lit work
Term
antagonist
Definition
character against whom protagonist struggles
Term
archetype
Definition
original that something is based off of
Term
ballad
Definition
song telling a story
Term
blank verse
Definition
unrhymed lines of 10 syllables (emphasis on even #'d)
Term
caricature
Definition
exaggerating description/oversimplification of characteristics
Term
clause
Definition
word-construction containing subject doing a verb
Term
cliche
Definition
overused phrase
Term
colloquialism
Definition
word/phrase used in plain relaxed speech
Term
conceit
Definition
elaborate/unusual comparison. unlikely metaphors
Term
characterization
Definition
direct: direct statements of character
indirect: reveals info thru thots, words, actions or other characters
Term
connotation
Definition
extra tinge of meaning of word
Term
denotation
Definition
strict definition of word
Term
conflict
Definition
internal: occurs w/in character
external: other ppl, forces, ideas
Term
diction
Definition
word choice of author
Term
didactic
Definition
preachy writing
Term
euphemism
Definition
mild phrase for blunt
Term
extended metaphor
Definition
longer comparison
Term
figurative language
Definition
deviation from standard language, for effect
Term
figure of speech
Definition
language used in a nonliteral sense
Term
genre
Definition
categories of lit
Term
homily
Definition
short sermon. lecture on a moral theme.
Term
hyperbole
Definition
exaggeration
Term
imagery
Definition
language evoking mental images
Term
inference
Definition
conclusion/opinion formed b/c of facts or evidence
Term
invective
Definition
verbal attack using strong, abusive language
Term
irony
Definition
saying one thing but meaning another
Term
litotes
Definition
understatement denying opposite
Term
juxtaposition
Definition
arranging two or more ideas for purpose of comparison
Term
loose sentence
Definition
elaboration on main clause
Term
metaphor
Definition
comparison of two unlike things with something in common
Term
meter
Definition
varying pattern of stressed syllables
Term
metonymy
Definition
substitution of one thing for another
Term
mood
Definition
predominating atmosphere. feeling reader gets.
Term
motif
Definition
recurring element in story
Term
narrative
Definition
constructive format the describes a sequence of events
Term
onomatopoeia
Definition
words that are similar to noise they make
Term
oxymoron
Definition
combo of two contradictory terms
Term
paradox
Definition
statement that makes sense, but its two parts are contradictory
Term
parallelism
Definition
similar patterns of grammatical structure and length
Term
paratactic sentence
Definition
juxtaposition of clauses or phrases w/o use of conjunctions (para: next to)
Term
parody
Definition
mocking through imitation
Term
pedantic
Definition
overly scholarly; making a show of knowledge
Term
periodic sentence
Definition
main clause is at the end
Term
periphrasis
Definition
use of excessive language, when something could be said more directly
Term
polysyndeton
Definition
repetition of conjunctions (poly=many)
Term
personification
Definition
giving human characteristics to not human things
Term
point of view
Definition
way a story gets told and who tells it
Term
quatrain
Definition
stanza of four lines
Term
prose
Definition
any writing that's not poetry
Term
rhetoric
Definition
the art of persuasion in speaking and writing
Term
sarcasm
Definition
saying one thing but meaning another
Term
satire
Definition
mocking humanity thru scathing humor
Term
soliloquy
Definition
monologue spoken by character to themselves when they think they're alone
Term
semantics
Definition
study of actual meaning of words
Term
style
Definition
way author writes to achieve certain effects
Term
subject complement
Definition
adj, n, pro following linking verb
Term
subordinate clause
Definition
dependent clause
Term
syllogism
Definition
major and minor premise arriving at a conclusion; form of deductive reasoning
Term
symbol
Definition
something with meaning beyond its literal level
Term
synecdoche
Definition
part represents a whole
Term
synesthesia
Definition
shifts in imagery; combining smell with sound
Term
syntax
Definition
sentence structure and word order
Term
theme
Definition
central idea that drives literary work
Term
thesis
Definition
the idea being developed an supported in an essay
Term
tone
Definition
attitude of writer
Term
transition
Definition
the movement from one part of a work to another
Term
understatement
Definition
deliberately making something less serious than it is
Term
wit
Definition
intellectual humor, clever and funny
Term
tricolon
Definition
three parallel words, phrases or clauses
Term
vernacular
Definition
using language or dialect specific to region rather than standard literary writing
Term
anaphora
Definition
repetition of beginning clauses for artistic effect
Term
asyndeton
Definition
elimination of conjunctions in a sentence for effect
Term
chiasmus
Definition
introducing something in one order, then flipping it (ABBA)
Term
foil
Definition
character that serves as contrast to highlight opposing traits in another character
Term
voice
Definition
author's style; characteristic speech of 1st person narrator
Supporting users have an ad free experience!