AP Vocab. 1-20 Flashcards
Anecdote
Short, simple narrative of an incident, often used for humorous effect or to make a point
Argumentation
Writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or idea by presenting “reasoned” arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation and is the focus of the AP Language and Composition program.
Antithesis
The presentation of two contrasting of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced byword, phrase, clause, or paragraphs. “To be or not to be…” “Don’t ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for you country.”
Rhetoric
The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and the use of speech and other compositional techniques. This is the CORE of the AP language program.
Colloquialism
A word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y’all, ain’t, can’t, somethin’)
Connotation
Words suggesting implies meaning because of it’s association in the reader’s mind. This is the opposite of “denotation”
Allegory
An extended narrative of an incident in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric.
Annotation
Explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite, sources, or give bibliographic data. In AP Language you will need to demonstrate DETAILED annotation on most of your readings.
Consonance
Repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity: boot/beat/best/brag, or even compound words; fulfill, ping-pong
Caricature
Descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific Feature of a person’s appearance or a facet of personality
Coherence
The “quality” of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea/theme or organizing principle.
Aphorism
A short, often witty, statement of a principle or truth about life. Benjamin Franklin was somewhat famous for these in poor Richard’s Almanac, e.g. “The early bird gets the worm.”
Apostrophe
usually in poetry, but sometimes in prose: the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction.
Cacophony
Also referred to as DISSONANCE…hard, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of EUPHONY
Connotation/Denotation (own definition)
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