AP Terms (51-75) Flashcards
Logos
In writing and speaking, a persuasive appeal to the audience based on logic and reason.
Loose Sentence/ Non-periodic Sentence
A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first followed by dependent grammatical units like phrases and clauses.
If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. Loose sentences create loose style.
ex) I arrived at the San Diego airport after a long bumpy ride and multiple delays.
Mood
The prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the mood. The mood is similar to tone and atmosphere.
Narrative
The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events. In political speech, also used to suggest “storyline” a politician wants people to hear: “The President tried to push a narrative that he was raising taxes to help people.”
Parody
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another for comic effect or ridicule. It exploits peculiarities of an author’s expression.
Pathos
In writing and speaking, a persuasive appeal to the audience based on emotion.
Pedantic
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that might be described as ‘show-offy’; using big words for the sake of using big words).
Prose
One major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. In prose the printer determines the length of the line; In poetry, the poet determines the length of the line.
Point of view
In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. There are two general divisions of POV: 1st person narrator, 3rd person narrator, 3rd person omniscient, and 3rd person limited omniscient.
Repetition
The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.
Rhetoric
This term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently and persuasively.
Rhetorical modes
This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of major kinds of writing. The 4 most common rhetorical modes are the purpose of exposition (expository writing), argumentation, description, and narration.
Sarcasm
Sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are sarcastic.
Satire
A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing.
Semantics
The branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, their historical and psychological development, their connotation, and their relation to one another.
Style
(1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.
(2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors.
Subject Complement
The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming the predicate nominative or (2) describing the predicate adjective.
Subordinate clause
This word group contains both a subject and a verb, but cannot stand alone.
Syllogism
A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.
Symbol/Symbolism
Generally, anything that represents itself and stands for something else. Usually, a symbol is something concrete like an object, action, topic, etc, but there are different types of symbols and symbolism: natural symbols, conventional symbols, and literary symbols.
Syntax
The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax is similar to diction.
Thesis
In expository writing, the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author’s opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.
Tone
Tone describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Tone is easier to determine in spoken language than in written.
Transition
A word or phrase that links different ideas. Transitions signals a shift from one idea to another.
Understatement
The ironic minimalizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant that it is. Understatement is the opposite of hyperbole.
Wit
On modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous while suggesting the speaker’s verbal power in creatine ingenious and perceptive remarks.
