AP Vocab. 42+ Flashcards
Pedantic
Comes from a French word, pedant, means “to teach or to act as pedagogue.” A pedantic is someone who is concerned with precision, formalism, accuracy, minute details in order to make an arrogant and ostentatious show of learning.
Flippant
lacking proper respect or seriousness. This is often associated with the impatience of youth.
Synonyms: cute, smart-alack, smart-ass
Antonyms: earnest, sincere
Related words: cocky, fresh, sassy, disrespectful
Evocative
The use of language that “suggests” meanings other than the denotative. Language that connects with emotions or feelings not associated with the actual meaning of a word.
Syntactical inversion
Inversion, also called anastrophe, in literacy style and rhetoric, the syntactic reversal of the normal order of the words and phrases in a sentence, as, in English, the placing of an adjective after the noun it modifies (“the form divine”), a verb before its subject (“came the dawn”)
Apposition
Is a grammatical construction in which two elements normally noun phrases, are placed side by side, with one element serving to identify the other in a different way. The two elements are said to be in apposition.
Didactic
The word didactic is frequently used for those literacy texts which are overloaded with informative or realistic matter and are marked by the omission of graceful and pleasing details. Didactic, therefore, becomes a derogatory term referring to the forms of literature that are ‘ostentatiously’ dull and ‘erudite’. However, some literary texts are entertaining as well as didactic.
Conceit
Conceit is a figure of speech in which two vastly different objects are likened together with the help of similes or metaphors. Thus, conceit can have a surprising or shocking effect on the readers because they are novel comparisons unlike the conventional comparisons made in similes and metaphors.
Periodic sentence
Has the main clause or predicate at the end. This is used for emphasis and can be persuasive by putting reasons for something at the beginning before the final point is made. It can also create suspense of interest for the reader.
“In spite of heavy snow and cold temperatures, the games continued.”
Paradox
It is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly but may include a latent truth. It is also used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional ideas. A paradox is often used to make a reader think over an idea in innovative way
“All animals are equal, but some are equal than others”
Irony
Is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that may end up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between the appearance and reality.
Parenthesis
a stylistic device that comes from a Greek word, meaning to place or alongside. Parenthesis is a qualifying or exploratory sentence, clause, or word that writers insert into a paragraph or passage.
Sardonic
Grimly mocking, sarcastic, satirical, mocking in a humorous manner. This is one of those “TONE” words that describe writing that fits the meaning
Satire
A technique employed by a writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. It tends to improve humanity by criticizing It’s fallies and fables
Polemical
Relating to or involving strongly critical, conversational, or disputatious writing or speech.
This type of essay could be
Critical, hostile, caustic, trenchant
Ambiguity
Is a word, , phrase, or statement. Which contains more than one meaning
Archetype
An archetype, also know as universal symbol, may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting. Many literacy critics are of the opinion that archetypes, which have a common and recurring representation in a particular human culture or entire human race, shape the structure and function of a literary work.
Function of Archetype
The use of archetypal characters and situations gives a literary work a universal acceptance, as readers identify the character and situations in their social and cultural context impart realism.
Tragic Flaw
Is a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character leading to his downfall and the character leading to his downfall and the character is often the hero of the literary piece. This trait could be the lack of self-knowledge, lack of judgement and often it’s hubris (pride).
Assertion
When someone makes a statement investigating his strong belief in it, as if it is true though it may be not be, he’s making it an assertion. Assertion is a stylistic approach or technique involving a strong declaration, a forceful or confident and positive statement regarding a belief or a fact , “I have put my every effort to express to complete this task today”
Autobiography
Is one type of biography, which tells a life story of its author, meaning it is a written record of the author’s life. Rather than being written by someone else, and autobiography comes through the person’s own pen, and his own words.
Memoir
A record of memoriesin particular events that have taken place in the author’s life. In fact, it is the telling of a story or an event from his life; an account that does not tell the full record of a life
Cumulative sentence
Is known as a loose sentence that starts with an independent clause or main clause, which is simple and straight, provides main idea and adds subordinate elements or modifiers. It adds subordinate or modifying elements after the subject and the predicate.
Blank verse
Is a literacy device define as a non-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter.in poetry and prose, it has a consistent meter with 10 syllables and each line ( pentameter)
Bildungsroman
Is a story of the growing up of a sensitive person who looks for answersto his questions through different experiences. Generally, such a novel starts with a loss or a tragedy that disturbs the main character emotionally. He or she leaves on a journey to fill that vacuum.
Part two
during the journey, the protagonist gains maturity gradually and would difficulty. Usually, the plot depicts a conflict between the protagonist and the values of society. Finally he or she accepts those values and they are accepted by the society, ending the dissatisfaction
Known as a coming-of-age novel
Illusion
(Not to be confused with allusion)
An illusion is a false illustration of something, a deceptive impression, or a false belief. Literally speaking, and illusion is something that is false and not factual. It tricks the human brain into thinking an unreal into a real.
Free verse
A literary device that can we define as poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such forms are without rhymes …
Foil
In literature, a foil is a character that shows qualities that are contrast with the qualities of another character which the objective to highlight the traits of the other character
It’s a comparison
Foil
In literature, a foil is a character that shows qualities that are contrast with the qualities of another character which the objective to highlight the traits of the other character
It’s a comparison
Intertextuality
Is a sophisticated literacy device used in writing. And fat, it is a textual reference within some text that reflects the text used as a reference. Instead of employing referential phrases from different literacy words, intertextuality draws upon the concept, or torque or ideology from other texts to be merged in the new text.
An example would be the retelling of the Odyssey in Ulysses
Litotes
Derived from a Greek word meaning “simple”, is a figure of speech which employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, positive statement is expressed by negating It’s opposite expressions.
“Not too bad” in the place of “pretty good”
Utopia
The literacy term utopia denotesan illusionary place that projects the notion of a perfect society to the reader. Here, the “perfect Society”refers to the ideal conditions achieved within the material world as opposed to the expected idealism of afterlife in Christianity or other religions
Sonnet
The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word “ sonetto”. It means a small or little song or lyric. And poetry, a sonnet has 14 lines and is written in iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables. It has a specific rhythm scheme and a “Volta” or a specific turn.
Round character
A round character in a novel, play, or story with a complex personality “ogres are like onions, they have many layers” similarly, a round character has many layers like onions.
Situational irony
Is a literacy device that you can easily identify in literacy works. Simply, it occurs when incongruity appears between expectations or something to happen, and what actually happens instead. Thus, entirely different situations happened from what the audience may be expecting or the final outcome is the opposite.
Static character
Is one that not undergo interchanges or undergoes a little change. It is a character that does not develop or grow such as Sherlock Holmes and James Bond
