AP English Terms 16-30 Flashcards
Diction
The choice of words in a work of literature and an element of style important to the work’s effectiveness - Military diction, humorous diction, somber diction, harsh diction, etc.
Ellipsis
The omission of a word or words necessary for complete construction but understood in the context.
Ex. “The eyes of others our prisons; their thoughts our cages.”
Epistrophe
Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one of more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.
Ex. “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” -Abraham Lincoln
Ethos
Establishing one’s credibility with the audience by appearing knowledgeable and interested in the well-being of the audience; ethical appeal.
Euphemism
The substitution of an inoffensive, indirect, or agreeable expression for a word or phrase perceived as socially unacceptable or unnecessarily harsh.
Ex. “Overweight” rather than “fat,” “disadvantaged” rather than “poor.”
Irony
Cicero referred to irony as “saying one thing and meaning another.”
Three different kinds.
Verbal Irony (sarcasm)
A trope in which a speaker makes a statement in which its actual meaning differs sharply from the meaning that the words ostensibly express.
Dramatic Irony (the most important type for literature)
Involves a situation in a narrative in which the reader how’s something about present or future circumstances that the character does not know.
Situational Irony (cosmic irony)
Trope in which accidental events occur that seem oddly appropriate, such as the poetic justice of a pickpocket getting his own pocket picked. However, both the victim and the audience are simultaneously aware of the situation in situational irony - which is not the case in dramatic irony.
Jargon
Refers to a specialized language providing a shorthand method of quick communication between people in the same field.
Ex. The basis of assessment for Schedule D Case I and II, other than commencement and cessation, is what is termed a previous year basis. (Legal jargon)
Juxtaposition
The arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development.
Ex. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the porch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” - A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens
Litotes
Understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed.
Ex. A few unannounced quizzes are not inconceivable.
Logos
Using facts, statistics, historical references, or other such proofs in order to convince the audience of one’s position; logical appeal.
Loose Sentence
A sentence grammatically complete at some point (or points) before the end; opposite of a periodic sentence.
Metonymy
A figure of speech characterized by the substitution of a term naming an object closely associated with the word in mind for the word itself.
Ex. “The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings.” (Suits and Wall Street are both examples of metonymy)
