figures of speech Flashcards
ANTITHESIS
juxtaposition of two words, phrases, clauses or sentences contrasted or opposed to give emphasis to contrasting ideas
APOSTROPHE
device to address a person who usually is absent/deceased, an inanimate object or an abstract idea
HYPERBATON
transposition of word order
METAPHOR
use of a word/phrase denoting one kind of idea or object in a place of another word/phrase for the purpose of suggesting a likeness between the two
METONYMY
figure of speech in which a word is substituted for another word that it is closely associated with
OXYMORON
combination of two seemingly contradictory or incongruous words
PARADOX
statement or sentiment that appears contradictory to common sense yet is true in fact
PERSONIFICATION
representation of inanimate objects or abstract ideas as living beings
RHETORICAL QUESTION
asking of questions to assert more emphatically the obvious answer to what is asked
SIMILE
specific comparison using ‘like’, ‘as’, or ‘than’ or a verb such as ‘seem’ between two kinds of ideas or objects
SYNECDOCHE
figurative locution whereby the part is made to stand for the whole, the whole for a part, the species for the genus, and vice versa
ALLITERATION
repetition of consonants sounds in two or more neighbouring words or syllables
ANAPHORA
repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of several consecutive sentences or verses to emphasise an image or a concept
ASSONANCE
repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in the stressed syllables
EPISTROPHE
it’s the repetition of the same word(s) at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences
INTERNAL RHYME
poetic device by which two or more words rhyme within the same line of verse
POLYPTOTON
words derived from the same root are repeated
POLYSYNDETON
use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted
EPIZEUXIS
repetition of words with no others between, for vehemence or emphasis
