AP Lang terms test 1 Flashcards
The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal
meaning.
allegory
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in “she sells sea
shells”).
alliteration
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place,
or work of art.
allusion
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
ambiguity
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.
analogy
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
antecedent
the opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite.
antithesis
A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.
aphorism
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty
or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional
intensity.
apostrophe
The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the
author’s choice of objects that are described.
atmosphere
a verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person’s distinctive physical
features or other characteristics.
caricature
A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.
clause
The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.
colloquial/colloquialism
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar
objects.
conceit
