Imaginative Language Features Flashcards
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives are words that describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs
Connotation
Meaning that is suggested, rather than literal
Sensory details
Words and phrases that appeal to the reader’s senses, typically of sight and hearing.
Anthropomorphism
Giving human qualities to an animal or object
Metaphor
A comparative device that describes one thing as another
Metonymy
Using a word to represent a larger concept to which it is related, e.g. using ‘the bottle’ to refer to alcohol
Pathetic Fallacy
Crediting nature with human traits, e.g. a description of the weather to symbolise a character’s emotional state
Personification
Attributing human qualities to an object or phenomenon
Simile
A comparative device that describes one thing as being like another
Symbol
An object or phrase that embodies a range of meanings that extend beyond its literal definition
Synecdoche
Using a part to represent a whole concept, or something specific to represent the general e.g. using ‘hands’ to refer to workers
Zoomorphism
Giving human animal-like qualities
Alliteration
Using words with the same initial sound in quick succession
Assonance
Using words with the same vowel sounds in quick succession
Cacophony
Combining words to create or imply a harsh or unpleasant sound
Consonance
Using words with the same consonant sounds, typically at the end, in quick succession
Euphony
Combining words to create or imply a pleasing sound
Onomatopoeia
Words that sound similar to the sound they are meant to depict, e.g. BOOM
Rhyme
Words that share the same or similar sounds
Caesura
A break in the rhythm of a line, created by splitting a sentence or interrupting its regular rhythm, resulting in a dramatic pause
Rhythm
Patterns created through the arrangement of words according to syllables or the natural emphases created by their pronunciation
Irony
Using words with intended meanings that are different from, or even the opposite of, their literal meanings; is often conveyed by the tone of delivery
Parody
The deliberate exaggeration of particular textual features of another work for humorous effect
Pun
A play on words, creating humour or irony through the fact that words have two or more meanings
Satire
Using humour or parody to draw attention to human flaws
Allegory
Exploring a complex or abstract concept through the creation of a more concrete example
Allusion
A casual reference to another literary work or real-world event
Analogy
Explaining something by comparing it with a similar thing that is more familiar to the audience
Quotation
Repeating the words of another work or person, to add meaning or authority to a text.
