Language devices Flashcards

Question

allusion

Answer 1

a reference to another event, person, place, or work of literature. The allusion is usually *implied* rather than an explicit (telling us where it comes from) and provides another layer of meaning to what is being said. Films may refer to other films (esp. in comedies); authors may allude to other authors to make fun of them;

Answer 2

Use of language where the meaning is unclear or has two or more possible meanings or interpretations. E.g., "Peter and Paul went into the shop and he bought a packet of crisps and a copy of Dickens's Great Expectations." Who was doing the buying? It could be created by a weakness in the writer's expression - they're not being clear in what they mean, but it is more likely it is a *deliberate device* used by the writer to create layers of meaning. Weak, or **DANGLERS** - when the meaning is lost accidently, such as, "The man killed the student with a book." Hmmm?! Did he kill a student who happened to be holding a book, or did he kill the student by using a book as a weapon? "Leaving home, the weather was bright and sunny." I presume the weather left its home in this one... **Deliberate** - when the ambiguity is used for effect as in puns, double entendre, equivocation. Great play on words (pun) from Carry on Cleo - as Caesar is attacked, he calls out, "Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me!" (A phonic - sound - pun) “Do you believe in *clubs* for young people?” someone asked W.C. Fields. “Only when kindness fails,” he replied.

Answer 3

the endowment of human characterisctics to something that is not human – The table waited patiently for the diners to sit. The tree sighed as the highwayman passed; it knew what was waiting the robber around the corner.

Answer 4

the repetition of similar vowel sounds

Answer 5

the prevailng mood created by a piece of wrtiting

Answer 6

ordinary, everday speech and language

Answer 7

an implication or association attached to a word or phrase. It is suggested or felt rather than being explicit. From litcharts.com: * Words can have positive, negative or neutral connotations. For instance, the word "peace" has a positive connotation, "coffin" has a negative one, and "table" is neutral. * The connotations a word carries are often subjective, meaning that they might change depending on an individual's experience, geographical location, or time period. In other words, connotation is deeply dependent on context. *(Table may refer back to a romantic encounter between two people or to a scene of murder and a weapon was placed on 'the table'...-*editorial addition to text) * Writers may use connotation to evoke specific emotions in their readers without explicitly telling them what to feel. Connotation is vital to the arts, but is also extremely useful in business, advertising, and politics.

Answer 8

the choice of words a writer uses. Another word for "vocabluary"

Answer 9

a feeling on the part of the reader of sharing the particular experience being described by the character or writer

Answer 10

language that is symbolic or metaphorical and not meant to be taken literally

Answer 11

a particular type of writing – e.g. prose, poetry, drama

Answer 12

the use of words to create a picture or "image" in the mind of the reader. Images can relate to any of the senses, not just sight.

Answer 13

at its simplist level, it means saying one thing while meaning antoher. It occurs where a word or phrase has one surface meaning but another contradictory, possibly opposite meaning is implied. Irony is often confused with sarcasm. SARCASM is spoken, relying on the tone of voice and is much more blunt than irony. **Verbal irony** is when a speaker says one thing but means something entirely different. The literal meaning is at odds with the intended meaning. **Dramatic irony** is when the audience knows something that the characters don’t - as in the image of Othello and Iago: we know Iago's plotting against Othello. **Situational irony** is when what happens is the opposite of what you expect. Socratic irony is when a person feigns ignorance in order to get another to admit to knowing or doing something. It is named after Socrates, the Greek philosopher, who used this technique to tease information out of his students.

Answer 14

a conparison of one thing to another to make the descrption more vivid. The metaphor actually states that one thing is another. His face was a true harvest festival.

Answer 15

the use of words whose sounds copies the thing or process they describe – e.g. "bang, crash, or ping"

Answer 16

the effect in literature which makes the reader feel sadness or pity (compare to logos, and ethos - logos deploys logic, reason, science; ethos appeals to character, usually trustworthy)

Answer 17

the attribution of human feelings, emotions, or sensations to an inanimate object. Personification is a type of metaphor where human qualities are given to things of abstract ideas

Answer 18

the sequence of events in a poem, play, novel, or short story that make up the main story line

Answer 19

a story can be told by one of the characters or from another point of view. The point of view can change from one part of the story to another when events are viewed through the minds of two or more characters

Answer 20

the main character or speaker in a poem, monologue, play, or story.

Answer 21

a play on words that have similar sounds but quite different meanings - for humour, ambiguity, highlight a word, or irony. “‘Mine is a long and a sad tale!’ said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing. ‘It is a long tail, certainly,’ said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse’s tail; ‘but why do you call it sad?'

Answer 22

The 'movement' of the poem as created through the meter and the way that language is stressed within the poem From Shakespeare's *The Tempest -* read it out loud to hear the rhythm Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes: Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea change Into something rich and strange. Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell:

Answer 23

the highlighting or exposing of human failings or foolishness through ridiculing them Satire can range from being gentle and light to extremely biting and bitter in tone Eg Don Quixote by Cervantes; Catch-22 by Heller; The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov.

Answer 24

the comparison of one thing to another in order to make the description more vivid using *like* or *as* * She dances like a dervish.* * He stomped like a brontosaurus up the stairs.* * They were as intelligent as smart phones, except I couldn't switch them off...*

Answer 25

the way a piece of writing has been put together - paragraphs, length of sentences, use of dialogue or not.

Answer 26

the individual way in which the writer has used language to express his or her ideas narrative style descriptive style persuasive style educational / expository style reflective style

Answer 27

like the use of images, symbols present things which represent something else. In very simple terms, a red rose can be used to symbolisee love; distant thunder can symbolise approaching trouble. Symbols can be very subtle and multi-layered in their significance and association for people (personal, national, cultural, religious, commercial)

Answer 28

the way in which sentences are structured. Sentences can be structured in different ways to achieve different effects

Answer 29

the central idea or ideas that a writer explores through a text We usually ask what is the theme of this story or poem?. Eg Is the big theme of Great Expectations is how expectations and reality can clash? But there are sub-themes: ... role of money, class, redemption, innocence, loss, grief, friendship, tragedy. Romeo and Juliet - major theme is love but also tragedy; sub-theme is war/fighting, power, names ... 'wherefore art thou Romeo? What is in a name?"

Answer 30

**A is to B, as C is to D.** So, two unrelated objects are compared for shared qualities. Eg Photosynthesis is for plants what digesting food is for animls. What gunpowder did for war the printing press has done for the mind. (Wendell Phillips, Public Opinion on the Abolition Question)

Answer 31

A brief piece of wisdom or advice E.g. Things are not always what they seem. Be content with what you have. United we stand, divided we fall

Answer 32

a well-known, perhaps overly used belief about life (adage = wisdom, cliché = overly used) e.g., you can't always judge a book by its cover the grass is always greener on the other side play your cards right

Answer 33

a story within a story E.g., Animal Farm is about a group of animals who rise up and take over a farm. The allegory points to the Russian Revolution and how the revolution did not change the lives of most people that much and the revolutionaries ended up being like the tyrants that they had overthrown..

Answer 34

when an author uses a subject or object that does not belong in the time period being used. E.g., Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Brutus: “Peace! Count the clock.” Cassius: “The clock has stricken three. Clocks were not around in Roman times!

Answer 35

a short story that is appropriate for the topic being discussed. e.g. I'm exploring the life of Thales and am explaining how he was getting excited about looking at the stars when he fell into a well. The student replies with an anecdote: "That reminds me of my dad - he was so excited about showing mum a gorgeous full moon one night that as he raced to tell her, he tripped over a ball and fell into our pond!"

Answer 36

the opposite of an idea or statement That’s one small step for a man – one giant leap for mankind. (Neil Armstrong, 1969)

Answer 37

deliberate use of contrasting ideas "I can bring you in cold or I can bring you in warm" - The Mandalorian, episode 1. Or Romeo's juxtapositions showing his madness (he's madly in love, but Rosaline has rejected him) Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!

Answer 38

**a story or fable for a moral reason --- often using animal characters as symbols** Greek word: “apologos” = story eg Aesop's *Fables* George Orwell's *Animal Farm* Kenneth Graham's *The Wind in the Willows*

Answer 39

**when a sentence is left deliberately cut off.** Greek ***aposiōpan = silent*** Why? It may show a speaker or writer's desire to avoid continuing and allowing the listener or reader to finish the sentence in their own way. "Then there was the time when we were all supposed to be ready to go to the airport, and ..." Yes, we all knew what happened. It was a painful and embarrassing memory to all of us. "Yes, I can quite imagine ..." grandmother nodded with a knowing eye that made me uncomfortable. She had a way of doing that, not finishing her sentences, but the meaning would pour out nonetheless. "Your family are just ... " she pulled a face. "I think I'm beyond anger! I could ... I could ..." He grasped his hair and shook violently.

Answer 40

a word or phrase that was used in the past but is not so used today. E.g., "I *shan't* go to the shops!" (instead of "I won't go to the shops!") "I *daresay*, it will rain later."

Answer 41

A series of propositions (beliefs) that form a conclusion. Eg. The storm was gathering pace and the rain was beginning to thunder on the cabin; we were clad solely for fair wind and good weather and looking around at each other we thought our chances of survival were dim. Propositions: 1) there is stormy weather 2) the people are in a boat and are not dressed properly 3) *therefore*, they held a fear that they may capsize and drown Conclusions typically have a therefore or thus implied in the reasoning. When the conclusion does not follow from the propositions, it's a *fallacy* - an illogical argument in which the conclusion is not supported (there are many fallacies in logic!)

Answer 42

traditional - telling the writer's life memoir - (on place, time, philosophy, job): shared snapshot and lessons from a part of a person's life psychological review - usually written by someone trying to gain some sense of what they have lived through (trauma, illness) confession - writing down what the writer has done wrong (eg a murderer, or drug user - Thomas Quincy's *Confessions of an English Opium-Eater*); but there are also -\> spiritual confessions, such as St Augustine's *Confessions.*

Answer 43

an abrupt change in description to the surprising, silly or absurd From Douglas Adams's *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* "You know,” said Arthur, “it’s at times like this, when I’m trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was young. “Why, what did she tell you?” “I don’t know, I didn’t listen.”

Answer 44

an absurd imitation or comic exagerration of something such as a dramatic scene (from Italian - burlesco = to ridicule) Types: parody (mimicking a style) - eg The songs of Weird Al Jankovic are burlesque imitations of the originals. mock-heroic eg Monty Python's *Holy Grail* travesty: vulgar or lewd (rude) imitation of a significant work (eg Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream and the treatment of Pyramus and Thisbe)

Answer 45

series of harsh, discordant sounding words cacophony = kako - ill; phōnos = sound EG Lewis Carroll's *Jabberwocky* ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

Answer 46

release of strong emotions Gk: kathairein - to cleanse

Answer 47

Characterization is the representation of the traits, motives, and psychology of a character in a narrative so: fleshing out the details of a character prior to the 15thC many characters in plays were 'stock characters' - the audience would know what they were like and what they would do; think of Punch and Judy shows! Shakespeare began to provide a greater sense of character by allowing them to introspect, to voice their thoughts, and even change their personality! *To be or not to be ...*

Answer 48

a story's central turning point, the moment of peak tension or conflict the answer to a story's mystery the beginning of a story's resolution (image: Freytag's pyramid of literary climax)

Answer 49

a figure of speech (artistic use of language) in which the **same consonant sound** repeats E.g., **F**inally, enou**gh** terri**f**ic **ph**antoms **f**loated around to **f**righten even tou**gh** **Ph**oebe. (/f/ sound even though with different spellings) Consonance is repetition of consonant sounds: Yea, **th**ough I walk **th**rough the valley of the shadow of dea**th**, I will fear no evil: for **th**ou art with me; **th**y rod and **th**y staff, **th**ey comfort me. King James Bible. Psalm 23 [Assonance on the other hand is repetition of vowel sounds: "H**ey**, w**ai**t! Don't blame me! Nate and James are the perpetrators!"]

Answer 50

connotation = the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition; the array can be positive, neutral or negative. “She is hot … (I really fancy her!)" denotation = literal meaning of a word (not the feelings/ideas that the word suggests) “She is hot … (Call a doctor!)"

Answer 51

giving a human or thing animal characteristics

Answer 52

a doing or being word I **swim** in the sea in the sultry summers. I **am** warm today. Powerful verbs draw the readers into the imagery compared to weaker verbs. Consider: She *read* the paper for an hour. (weak) She *scrutinised* the paper for an hour. (strong) Verbs can thus affect: Reader's **engagement**. **Clarity or detail** of what's going in. **Tone** and voice. Help the **flow** of the narrative - speed it up or slow it down. Tom *sprinted* down the road *throwing* glances behind him as he *fled* the gang running behind him. Active versus passive can also have an effect on who/what is important. Look at the subject (who is person/thing doing the action): The **boy** kicked the window. The **window** was kicked by the boy. Our attention shifts from the boy to the window in the second example.

Answer 53

lack of conjunctions between words - eg., I came, I saw, I conquered. e.g., An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was thick, warm, heavy, sluggish. - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Answer 54

Understanding the word from the context.

Answer 55

Repetition of opening word or phrase: "The dark was cold. The dark was heavy. The dark was everywhere."

Answer 56

form of alliteration /f/ and /th/ sounds think freely afore your flee