AP English Final! Flashcards
Rhetorical Analysis
Analysis of text or given source
Personification
Assigning life-like characteristics to inanimate objects (ex: My heart cried when I realized it was finals week)
Simile
A figure of speech that uses “like” or “as” to compare two things (ex: Her wedding was LIKE a fairytale)
Metaphor
A figure of speech which makes an implicit comparison (ex: Life is a roller-coaster)
Figurative Language
The use of speech going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect
Allusion
An indirect reference, often to a text or a historic event
Connotation
The IMPLIED meaning of a word, not the literal meaning. (ex: pedophile literally means lover of children, but ya know, you can’t call yourself a pedo because of its negative connotation)
Denotation
The LITERAL meaning of a word; it’s dictionary definition
Ad hominem
Term that involves commenting on or against an opponent to undermine him instead of his arguments (basically personally attacking someone instead of their argument)
Antithesis
Rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect. (ex: Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice)
Colloquialism
The use of informal words, phrases, or slang in a piece of writing (ex: “a bunch of numpties”–a group of idiots)
Ethos
A persuasive appeal based on the character or projected character of the speaker, CREDIBILITY.
Logos
Statement, sentence, or argument used to convince or persuade the audience by using LOGIC or REASON
Pathos
Persuasive appeal that uses or evokes pity or sadness to appeal to the audience. (using EMOTION)
Non Sequitur
Literary devices which include the statements, sayings, and conclusions that do NOT follow logical or reasonable principals
Paradox
An absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when explained may be proved to be well founded or true (ex: “I’m a compulsive liar”…Are they lying? Telling the truth? HOW WILL YOU KNOW?)
Parallelism
The use of successive verbal constructions that correspond in grammatical structure, sound, meter, and meaning. (ex: “You need to work quickly and decisively” or “Like father, like son”
Post hoc
A fallacy in which one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier. (ex: “an increase in the production of iPods was the cause of theft in 2006”)
Rhetoric
The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Alliteration
A repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in a sequence (ex: “Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore”–the letter S is EVERYWHERE)
Anaphora
Using the same word or words to start two or more sentences or paragraphs that follow one another. (ex: “BECAUSE I understand…BECAUSE I want to…BECAUSE I love you…”
Juxtaposition
Placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences (ex: placing of baby blue and sky blue next to each other to see how they differ.)
What does SOAPSTone stand for?
Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone
Concession
You agree (concede) that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable
Refutation
You deny (refute) the validity of all or part of the argument
Define: Dynamic
Vigorously active or forceful
Define: Simpering
To smile in a silly, false, or self-conscious way
Define: Nullify
To make or declare legally no longer binding
Define: Envoy
A messenger or representative (especially on a diplomatic mission)
Define: Indifference
A lack of interest or concern
Counterargument
To anticipate objections or opposing views
Speaker
The person or group who creates a text (Who’s speaking? Don’t confuse author an speaker, they’re 2 diff. people sometimes)
Occasion
What event influenced the text? Why did the author write this? (Is the text in response to something?)
Audience
(There may be more than one audience) Listener, viewer, or reader. (Who is the article targeting?)
Purpose
The goal the speaker wants to achieve
Subject
The topic of the writing (What is the reading about?)
Cultural bias
Bias to cultures (People who read English think it’s reasonable to read books from top to bottom & left to right)
Diction
Word choice (ex: “steal” vs “obtain”)
Syntax
Sentence construction (ex: “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” - Woody Allen)
Inversion
The inverted order of words in a sentence (sentence variation of the subject-verb-object order)
Oxymoron
Paradoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another (ex: “Big shrimp” or “Tall midgets”)
Synedoche
Figure of speech that uses a part to represent the whole (ex: “All HANDS on deck!” or “Lend me your EAR”)
Syllogism
Construction of several logical statements to form a deduction (ex: All penguins are black. There is a penguin at my front door. Therefore, the penguin at my door is black.)
Metonomy
Symbolic phrase/collection of words that represents an idea (“The powers in WASHINGTON allowed that law” or “Let’s go to the LOOP” or “Banks had a good day on WALL STREET”)
Anecdotes
real stories that highlight a point
Jargon
Culture, orientation specific (For doctors: DNR = do not resuscitate. “Push one of EPI” = Epinephrine. BP = blood pressure)
