Language techniques Flashcards
What is assonance?
Assonance is when nearby words repeat the same vowel sound. Assonance is a stylistic literary technique used for emphasis or to make a sentence more pleasing to the ear.
What is sibilance?
Sibilance is a literary device where strongly stressed consonants are created deliberately by producing air from vocal tracts through the use of lips and tongue. Such consonants produce hissing sounds.
What is alliteration?
Alliteration is a stylistic literary technique in which neighbouring words repeat the same initial consonant sound. Makes the poem flow
What is a simile?
A simile is a figure of speech in which two essentially dissimilar objects or concepts are expressly compared with one another through the use of “like” or “as.” Simile is used as a literary device to assert similarity with the help of like or as, which are language constructs that establish equivalency.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a literary technique where one thing is compared to another by stating they share the same qualities. Metaphors are different to similes. Similes compare two things by likening them to one another. Similes rely on words such as “like” or “as” to make the comparison.
What is onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. The “boom” of a firework exploding, the “tick tock” of a clock, and the “ding dong” of a doorbell are all examples of onomatopoeia.
What is personification?
Personification is a literary device that uses the non-literal use of language to convey concepts in a relatable way. Writers use personification to give human characteristics, such as emotions and behaviors, to non-human things, animals, and ideas.
What is a hyperbole?
Hyperbole is a rhetorical and literary technique where an author or speaker intentionally uses exaggeration and overstatement for emphasis and effect.
What is pathetic fallacy?
Pathetic fallacy is a literary device that attributes human qualities and emotions to inanimate objects of nature. The word pathetic in the term is not used in the derogatory sense of being miserable; rather, it stands for “imparting emotions to something else.”
What is an oxymoron?
An oxymoron is any grouping of oppositional words to create a new, unique word or phrase. At first glance, oxymorons appear to be absurd due to this contrast. However, the juxtaposition of two opposing words can add irony, reveal a deeper meaning behind the text, or add onto the dramatic effect.
