Diction And Usage Flashcards
Juxtaposition
a literary device that places two things side by side for a contrasting effect. For example, consider how the Yin and Yang symbol has contrasting colors.
Incongruence
the quality of being unsuitable and inappropriate, or disagreeing with something with which it is contrasted.
Caricature
a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things
Monosyllabic
Words with one syllable.
Polysyllabic
Polysyllabic words have more than one syllable.
Colloquial
colloquial diction refers to specific words or phrases used in particular geographical locations.
(Soda or pop).
Archaic
marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated:
Denotative
Denotative meaning refers to the literal meaning of a word. the patient is sick.” One connotation of “sick” is something that’s impressive or exciting. In a sentence, the connotation might sound like “that was a sick kickflip.
Connotative
Connotation is the use of a word to suggest a different association than its literal meaning.
(Blue as in the Color but also as in feeling blue).
Concrete
A concrete noun refers to a physical object in the real world, such as a dog, a ball, or an ice cream cone. An abstract noun refers to an idea or concept that does not exist in the real world and cannot be touched, like freedom, sadness, or permission.
Jargon
Jargon is occupation-specific language used by people in a given profession,
Abstract
An abstract noun refers to an idea or concept that does not exist in the real world and cannot be touched, like freedom, sadness, or permission.
Cacophonous
A cacophony is a blend of unharmonious sounds.
(Nails on a chalkboard).
Euphonious
Something euphonious sounds beautiful and pleasant. “You have a euphonious voice!”
Malapropism
Malaprop repeatedly uses incorrect words that sound similar to the correct words in context, to humorous effect.
(She’s as headstrong as an allegory [alligator]).
