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Literary Terms
Basic Literary terms/ properties
53
English
11th Grade
06/16/2010

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Term
Allegory
Definition
When two stories are going on at the same time. A story that is about one thing but really has something else underlying.
Term
Alliteration
Definition

Repeating the first letter sounds in a phrase.

Ex. "Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore"

Term
Allusion
Definition
A reference/ comparison to something well known.
Term
Ambiguity
Definition
There is more than one meaning to what is being said. Circumlocution. 
Term
Analogy
Definition
A metaphor used to explain something. 
Term
Antecedent,
Definition

The word that s being replaced by a pronoun.

Ex: Billy went to the store and got eggs, but he had to run because he was running late for an appointment. The antecedent is "Billy", because later in the phrase, it is simplified by replacing "Billy" with "He"

Term
Aphorism
Definition
A short, quick quotation with a well known author.
Term
Atmosphere.
Definition
The overall setting/ feel of a piece. Similar to mood
Term
Clause
Definition
A  phrase that has a subject and a predicate. 
Term
Colloquial
Definition
Regional, slang words used in everyday speech that change over time. 
Term
Conceit.
Definition
A form of extended metaphor. 
Term
Connotation.
Definition
Different meanings of words that are picked up over time. 
Term

Denotation.

 

Definition
The dictionary definition of a phrase.
Term
Diction
Definition
Word choice
Term
Didactic
Definition
Educational writing
Term
Euphemism
Definition
A nice way of saying something that is not nice
Term
Extended Metaphor
Definition
A metaphor that is longer than a singular phrase.
Term
Figurative Language
Definition
Language that can be analyzed, like similes, metaphors, symbols, etc
Term
Figures of speach
Definition
Metaphors, similes, etc
Term
Generic Conventions
Definition
Themes that are commonly associated with certain genres of writing. For example, a sex scene in a romantic novel, etc.
Term
Genre
Definition
A general category that can describe a writing piece. Ex. Narrative, Romantic, Persuasive, Argumentative, 
Term
Homily
Definition
A small "sermon" or speech or story included in the midst of a piece of writing. 
Term
Hyperbole.
Definition
EXAGGERATION 
Term
Imagery
Definition
Sensual descriptions
Term
Inference
Definition
To use something to suggest another topic/ to suggest something else. 
Term
Invective
Definition
Profanities, bad language
Term
Irony
Definition
The opposite of what is expected occurs
Term
Loose sentence
Definition
Independent clause falls before the dependent
Term
Metaphor
Definition
A direct comparison without using like or as
Term
Metonomy
Definition
When something is closely related to something else and the two things become linked together. Ex. The white house and the president. 
Term
Mood
Definition
Atmosphere, how the author makes the reader feel
Term
Narrative
Definition
Where the writer tells a story
Term
Onomotopoeia
Definition
Words that describe sounds
Term
Oxymoron
Definition
Pretty Ugly, Jumbo shrimp. An ironic phrase.
Term
Paradox
Definition
When opposite or unexpected things are paired together
Term
Parallelism
Definition
When grammatical structure is similar
Term
Parody
Definition
Saturday night live. Style where fun is made of current events or popular culture
Term
Pedantic
Definition
Overly educational/ jargoney 
Term
Periodic Sentence
Definition
Dependent clause comes before the independent clause
Term
Personification
Definition
When human qualities are given to inanimate objects
Term
Point of view
Definition
First person, third person, etc. 
Term
Prose
Definition
Writing that is not poetry
Term
Repitition
Definition
When you repeat things...
Term
Rhetorical Modes
Definition
Narrative, cause and effect, comparison, etc. 
Term
Satire
Definition
A style that is mean and makes fun of something else
Term
Semantic
Definition
Words, word history, connotations, denoations, etc. 
Term
Style
Definition
How something is written overall
Term
Syllogism
Definition
The transitive property of literature
Term
Symbol
Definition
Something that represents something else.
Term
Syntax
Definition
Sentence/ grammatical structure 
Term
Theme
Definition
Motif, big idea, general feeling
Term
Thesis
Definition
The main point/ main topic of a piece. 
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