Language Features COPY Flashcards
Hyperbole
Exaggeration; Eg. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
purpose: To emphasize the magnitude of something.
Pun
A play on words; Eg. We went camping it was in tents (intense)
Purpose: Humour
Personification
Given human characteristics to a non-human thing; Eg. The branch knocked on the window.
Purpose: Stretches the boundaries of reality to make literature and poetry more vivid.
Personal Pronouns
Used when referring to a person; Eg. I, you, she
Purpose: Personal pronouns make the text seem as though it is directly addressing the reader, making it more personal and more likely for the reader to respond. … Use of personal pronouns can establish a connection between the reader and the writer.
Simile
Comparing two things using the words like or as; Eg. Her eyes were like diamonds
Purpose: emphasize what they are trying to convey to the reader or listener in a vivid way. Also to add depth to creative pieces.
Metaphor
Comparing two things saying one is the other; Eg. Her eyes were diamonds
Purpose: allows writers to convey vivid imagery that transcends literal meanings, creates images that are easier to understand and respond to than literal language. Metaphorical language activates the imagination, and the writer is more able to convey emotions and impressions through metaphor.
Alliteration
A string of words that begin with the same letter or sound; Eg. Tiny Tim Takes Tennis
purpose: it sounds pleasing. It’s a means to get the attention of readers.
Sibilance
Alliteration with the letter ‘S’; Eg. She Sells Sea Shells.
Purpose: Writers also sometimes use sibilance to give their writing form and structure. As with assonance, consonance, and alliteration, sibilance adds rhythm and musicality to a piece of text by suggesting which syllables a reader should emphasize
Assonance
Repetition of the vowel sound; Eg. The moon’s a balloon
Purpose: It guides which syllables should be stressed. This rhythm-making has a flow-on effect. It helps to embed a set of words within the mind of whoever is hearing them
Onomatopoeia
A noise that sounds like the word; Eg. Bang, splat
Purpose: It guides which syllables should be stressed. This rhythm-making has a flow-on effect. It helps to embed a set of words within the mind of whoever is hearing them
Repetition
The act of repeating a sentence or phrase; Eg. Hit it, hit it, hit it
Purpose: can help to emphasize a point and make a speech easier to follow. Adds to the power of persuasion.
Connotation
Words with an association that can lead to other meanings; Eg. Skinny can mean bony or malnourished
Purpose: create emotional associations that can be either positive, negative, or neutral. To invoke emotion in the reader.
Use of senses
Using senses to engage the reader or explain something in detail. Eg: The trees smelt foreign.
Purpose: engage a reader’s mind on multiple levels.
Cliche
A phrase or opinion that is overused and lacks originality
eg:The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Purpose: helps familiarise a topic.
Colloquialism
A word or phrase that is not formal and is used in familiar conversation
eg: TV, ain’t, gonna
purposes: in informal writing situations and creates a conversational tone. Everyday spoken language gives your writing a casual, relaxed effect. Colloquial language is not necessarily “wrong,” but it is used when a writer is trying to achieve informality.