Glossary of Lit and Rhetorical Terms Flashcards
to learn this for eng class
Active Voice
The subject of the sentence performs the action. This is a more direct and preferred style of
writing in most cases. “Anthony drove while Toni searched for the house.” The opposite is passive voice –
when the subject of the sentence receives the action. “The car was driven by Anthony.” Passive voice is
often overused, resulting in lifeless writing. When possible, try to use active voice.
Allusion
An indirect reference to something (usually a literary text, although it can be other things
commonly known, such as plays, songs, historical events) with which the reader is supposed to be familiar.
Alter-ego
A character that is used by the author to speak the author’s own thoughts; when an author
speaks directly to the audience through a character. In Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest, Shakespeare
talks to his audience about his own upcoming retirement, through the main character in the play, Prospero.
Do not confuse with persona.
Anecdote
A brief recounting of a relevant episode. Anecdotes are often inserted into fictional or non
fictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.
Antecedent
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun. The AP language exam occasionally
asks for the antecedent of a given pronoun in a long, complex sentence or in a group of sentences. “If I
could command the wealth of all the world by lifting my finger, I would not pay such a price for it.” An AP
question might read: “What is the antecedent for “it”?
Classicism
Art or literature characterized by a realistic view of people and the world; sticks to traditional
themes and structures (see romanticism).
Comic relief
when a humorous scene is inserted into a serious story, in order to lighten the mood
somewhat. The “gatekeeper scene” in Macbeth is an example of comic relief.
Diction
Word choice, particularly as an element of style. Different types of words have significant effects
on meaning. An essay written in academic diction would be much less colorful, but perhaps more precise
than street slang. You should be able to describe an author’s diction. You SHOULD NOT write in your
thesis, “The author uses diction…”. This is essentially saying, “The author uses words to write.” (Duh.)
Instead, describe the type of diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain).
Colloquial
Ordinary or familiar type of conversation. A “colloquialism” is a common or
familiar type of saying, similar to an adage or an aphorism.
Connotation
Rather than the dictionary definition (denotation), the associations suggested by a
word. Implied meaning rather than literal meaning. (For example, “policeman,” “cop,” and “The
Man” all denote the same literal meaning of police officer, but each has a different connotation.)
Denotation
The literal, explicit meaning of a word, without its connotations.
Jargon
The diction used by a group which practices a similar profession or activity. Lawyers
speak using particular jargon, as do soccer players.
Vernacular
- Language or dialect of a particular country. 2. Language or dialect of a regional
clan or group. 3. Plain everyday speech
Didactic
A term used to describe fiction, nonfiction or poetry that teaches a specific lesson or moral or
provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.
Adage
A folk saying with a lesson. “A rolling stone gathers no moss.”Similar to aphorism and colloquialism.
Allegory
A story, fictional or non fictional, in which characters, things, and events represent
qualities or concepts. The interaction of these characters, things, and events is meant to reveal an
abstraction or a truth. Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is an allegory.
Aphorism
A terse statement which expresses a general truth or moral principle. An aphorism
can be a memorable summation of the author’s point. Ben Franklin wrote many of these in Poor
Richard’s Almanac, such as “God helps them that help themselves,” and “A watched pot never
boils.”
Ellipsis
The deliberate omission of a word or phrase from prose done for effect by the author. “The whole
day, rain, torrents of rain.” The term ellipsis is related to ellipse, which is the three periods used to show
omitted text in a quotation.
Euphemism
A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.
Sometimes they are used for political correctness. “Physically challenged,” in place of “crippled.”
Sometimes a euphemism is used to exaggerate correctness to add humor. “Vertically challenged” in place
of “short.”
Figurative Language
“Figurative Language” is the opposite of “Literal Language.” Literal language is
writing that makes complete sense when you take it at face value. “Figurative Language” is the opposite:
writing that is not meant to be taken literally.
Analogy
An analogy is a comparison of one pair of variables to a parallel set of variables. When
a writer uses an analogy, he or she argues that the relationship between the first pair of variables is
the same as the relationship between the second pair of variables. “America is to the world as the
hippo is to the jungle.” Similes and metaphors are sometimes also analogies.
Hyperbole:
Exaggeration. “My mother will kill me if I am late.”
Idiom:
A common, often used expression that doesn’t make sense if you take it literally. “I got
chewed out by my coach.”
Metaphor:
Metaphor: Making an implied comparison, not using “like,” as,” or other such words. “My feet
are popsicles.” An extended metaphor is when the metaphor is continued later in the written
work. If I continued to call my feet “my popsicles” in later paragraphs, that would be an extended
metaphor. A particularly elaborate extended metaphor is called using conceit.
Metonymy
Replacing an actual word or idea, with a related word or concept. “Relations
between London and Washington have been strained,” does not literally mean relations between
the two cities, but between the leaders of The United States and England. Metonymy is often used
with body parts: “I could not understand his tongue,” means his language or his speech.
Synecdoche
A kind of metonymy when a whole is represented by naming one of its
parts, or vice versa. “The cattle rancher owned 500 head.” “Check out my new wheels.”
Simile:
Using words such as “like” or “as” to make a direct comparison between two very
different things. “My feet are so cold they feel like popsicles.”
Synesthesia
a description involving a “crossing of the senses.” Examples: “A purplish scent
filled the room.” “I was deafened by his brightly-colored clothing.”
Personification:
Giving human-like qualities to something that is not human. “The tired old truck
groaned as it inched up the hill.”
Foreshadowing
When an author gives hints about what will occur later in a story.
Genre
The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose,
poetry, and drama. However, genres can be subdivided as well (poetry can be classified into lyric, dramatic,
narrative, etc.). The AP Language exam deals primarily with the following genres: autobiography,
biography, diaries, criticism, essays, and journalistic, political, scientific, and nature writing.
Gothic
Writing characterized by gloom, mystery, fear and/or death. Also refers to an architectural style
of the middle ages, often seen in cathedrals of this period.
Imagery
Word or words that create a picture in the reader’s mind. Usually this involves the five senses.
Authors often use imagery in conjunction with metaphors, similes, or figures of speech.
Invective
A long, emotionally violent, attack using strong, abusive language.
Irony
When the opposite of what you expect to happen does.
Verbal irony
When you say something and mean the opposite/something different. For example,
if your gym teacher wants you to run a mile in eight minutes or faster, but calls it a “walk in the
park” it would be verbal irony. If your voice tone is bitter, it’s called sarcasm.
Dramatic irony
When the audience of a drama, play, movie, etc. knows something that the
character doesn’t and would be surprised to find out. For example, in many horror movies, we (the
audience) know who the killer is, which the victim-to-be has no idea who is doing the slaying.
Sometimes the character trusts the killer completely when (ironically) he/she shouldn’t.
Situational irony
Found in the plot (or story line) of a book, story, or movie. Sometimes it
makes you laugh because it’s funny how things turn out. (For example, Johnny spent two hours
planning on sneaking into the movie theater and missed the movie. When
Juxtaposition
Placing things side by side for the purposes of comparison. Authors often use juxtaposition
of ideas or examples in order to make a point.(For example, an author my juxtapose the average day of a
typical American with that of someone in the third world in order to make a point of social commentary).
Mood
The atmosphere created by the literature and accomplished through word choice (diction). Syntax
is often a creator of mood since word order, sentence length and strength and complexity also affect pacing
and therefore mood. Setting, tone, and events can all affect the mood.
Motif
a recurring idea in a piece of literature. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the idea that “you never really
understand another person until you consider things from his or her point of view” is a motif, because the
idea is brought up several times over the course of the novel.
Oxymoron
When apparently contradictory terms are grouped together and suggest a paradox – “wise
fool,” “eloquent silence,” “jumbo shrimp.”
Pacing
The speed or tempo of an author’s writing. Writers can use a variety of devices (syntax,
polysyndeton, anaphora, meter) to change the pacing of their words. An author’s pacing can be fast,
sluggish, stabbing, vibrato, staccato, measured, etc.
Paradox
A seemingly contradictory situation which is actually true.“You can’t get a job without
experience, and you can’t get experience without getting a job.”
Parallelism
(Also known as parallel structure or balanced sentences.) Sentence construction which
places equal grammatical constructions near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns.
Parallelism is used to add emphasis, organization, or sometimes pacing to writing. “Cinderella swept the
floor, dusted the mantle, and beat the rugs.”
Anaphora
Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences or
clauses in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more
coherent. “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Chiasmus
When the same words are used twice in succession, but the second time, the order of
the words is reversed. “Fair is foul and foul is fair.” “When the going gets tough, the tough get
going.” Also called antimetabole.
Antithesis
Two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses,
