Language Features Flashcards
Pathos
Language that evokes feelings of pity or sorrow
Language that evokes feelings of pity or sorrow
Pathos
Abstract noun
Naming ideas and feelings
Concrete noun
Naming objects
Proper nouns
Naming people, places, days, months etc
Adjectives
Words that describe nouns
Verbs
Words that describes nouns
Eg. Actions, tended
Adverbs
Words that describe verbs
Prounouns
First, second or third person
Eg. I, we, me, my, our, us, you, yours, yourself, he, she, they, them, theirs
Prepositions
Words used to show where something is in a place or time
Eg. At, for, with, after, to, over, from, into
Assonance
Same vowel sound is repeated but consonants are different
Eg. Cool, foolish look
Alliteration
First letter of word is repeated at start of following words
Colloquial language
Language used in speech with an informal meaning
Eg. Out of this world
Dialect
Version of language spoken by particular people in a particular area
Dialogue
Conversation between two people
Can be narrator and reader & conversational poems
Dissonance
Discordant combination of sounds
Eg. Slow pang of grinding waves
Enjambment
Used in poetry, sentence continues beyond the end of line or verse/stanza
Hyperbole
Exaggerating, not to be taken literally
Eg. We gorges on the banquet of beans
Imagery
Something imagined
Can be compared to something real
Irony
Humorous or sarcastic us of words, imply the opposite
Metaphor
Word or phrase used to imply a figurative
Monologue
Could be in front of other characters or solo (a soliloquy)
Onomatopoeia
Word that sounds like the noise being described
Oxymoron
2 words not associated being brought together
Eg. Cold heat
Personification
Human qualities given to an inanimate object
Repetition
Repetition of a word or phrase to achieve an effect
Rhyme
The way in which words sound the same at the ends of lines
Eg. Sonnets ABABCDCD
Rhythm
A repetitive beat or metre within a poem
Simile
A phrase to established eg a similarity between 2 things
Symbolism
Often objects, sounds, colours used as symbols, can give a theme
Tone
The writers atmosphere which pervades the text
Eg. Dissatisfaction, anxiety, regret
Word choice
Or “register”
Authors choice of language
Describe senses
Pathetic fallacy
When weather reflects mood and human emotion
Rule of three
Repetition in a group of three to strengthen an idea or argument
Eg. Freedom, equality and justice
Connotations
Implied meanings suggested by a word rather than its literal meanings
Emotive language
Words chosen to bring an emotional response
Adnoun
A word which is usually an adjective but is being used as a noun
Allegory
A complete narrative which involves characters and events that stand for an abstract idea or an event
Anagorisis
The moment of realisation when the main character finally understands their fate
Anecdote
A short and interesting story to make a point
Antagonist
The main opponent of the protagonist
Anthropomorphism
Giving human features to non-humans or objects
Antithesis
A statement or theory that contrasts with the main argument or theory being presented
Bathos
Quick transition from something serious to something absurd or vulgar usually for comic effect
Catharsis
The purging of fear and pity through art, leading to the cleansing of emotions
Chiasmus
Two or more clauses that are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an effect
Comparatives
Words used to make comparisons
Contrasts
When a writer makes comparisons to highlight differences
Declarative
Sentence that makes a clear statement
Denotations
The literal meaning of a word
Denouement
The conclusion (‘unravelling’) of a plot
Determiner
Word that helps reader determine what the noun is
Eg. The, a, each, some
Euphemism
A polite word or phrase used to refer to something that would be too harsh or rude to say
Exclamative
A sentence that expresses a strong emotion and ends with an exclamation mark
Hamartia
The protagonists critical failure, mistake or ignorance that leads them to tragedy
Hubris
Excessive pride or self-confidence
Hyperbole
The exaggeration of an idea for emphasis
Imagery
Any visually descriptive language
Imperative
A sentence that gives a direct command
Interrogative
A sentence that asks a question
Irony
The expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite
Typically for humorous or empathic effect
Juxtaposition
The fact of two things being seen or places close together with contrasting effect
Lexical field
When a group of words in a text share a common surface meaning
Belong in the same category
Metaphor
The use of a word or phrase to refer to describe something different, suggesting that the two things have one or more similarities
Metonymy
Replacing the name of a thing with the name of something that is closely related
Modal Verb
A verb used to show how likely an action is
Motif
A dominant or recurring idea that is repeated throughout a text, usually with some symbolic value
Oxymoron
The use of two words of o polite meaning in combination to create an effect
Parenthesis
Extra information embedded into a sentence (usually between brackets, commas or dashes) to explain an idea
Pathetic fallacy
Giving human qualities to nature (often the weather) to reflect a particular mood
Peripeteia
The reversal of circumstances or ‘turning point’ in a tragedy
Personification
Giving a thing, an idea or an animal a human attribute that they don’t literally have
Pronoun
A typical r of word that stands in for a noun, taking its place in the sentence
Pronoun
A type of word that stands in for a noun, taking its place in the sentence
Prose
A type of writing that reads like normal speech unlike poetry
Protagonist
The leading character who moves the story forwards
Repetition
Words or phrases are repeated throughout the text to emphasise certain facts or ideas and enhance rhythms
Semantic field
When a group of words in a text share a common underlying meaning or association
Simile
A direct comparison between two things
Very similar to a metaphor but ‘as’ or ‘like’ are used to make it clear that the comparison is not literal
Soliloquy
When a character in a play talks to themselves
Sharing inner thoughts with audience
Stanza
A group of lines in a poem like a verse in a song or a paragraph in prose
Superlatives
A type of word used to show that something is the best or worst within a group
Usually end in -est
Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent idea or themes beyond their literal meaning
Tenor
In a metaphor or simile, the concept that is being described
Vehicle
The vehicle that carries the concept
Thesis
A statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved
Topic sentence
A sentence usually at the start of a paragraph which introduces the main topic or focus of the paragraph
Tricolon
The use of three words, phrases or clauses of equal length in a sentence
Often called list of three
Verb
The action that is completed in the sentence (including being)
Used to refer to an action
Zoomorphism
Giving animal qualities to an object or human
