Language Terminilogy Flashcards
Noun
A noun is a ‘naming’ word: a word used for naming an animal, a person, a place or a thing.
Proper noun
This is a noun used to name particular people and places: Jim, London…- and some ‘times’: Monday, April, Easter.. It always begins in a capital
Common noun
A common noun is a noun that is used to name everyday things: cars, trees…- and kinds of people: Man, Child
Collective Noun
This is a noun that describes a group or collection of people or things: army, bunch, swarm
Abstract noun
An abstract noun describes things that cannot actually be seen, heard, smelt, felt or tasted: sleep, honesty, power.
Adjective
An adjective is a ‘describing’ word: it is a word used to describe (or tell you more about) a noun. E.g. A BLACK jacket.
An adjective usually comes before a noun but sometimes it can be separated from its noun and come afterwards e.g. The dog was FIERCE.
Verb
A verb is a word, or a group of words, describing an action. A doing word.
Modal verb
Express uncertainty or possibility: could, must, will
Adverb
An adverb describes a verb. It nearly always answers, How?When? Where? Or Why?: slowly walking
Pronoun
Replaces a noun to avoid repeating them.
Singular pronouns
Used to refer to one person or thing: he, yours, his
Collective/ inclusive pronouns
Plural pronouns are used to refer to more than one person or thing: we, us, ours
Prepositions
Prepositions are words which show the relationship of one thing to another: over, in, past, below.
Conjunctions
Conjunctions join together words, phrases, clauses and sentences. They help us to create compound sentences by joining two main clauses together: and, nor, however.
Subordinating conjunctions
Subordinating connectives link a main clause with a subordinate clause: we were hungry BECAUSE we hadn’t eaten.
Article
An article is always used with and gives some information about a noun, there are three articles: a, an and the: the chair, a chair, an elephant.
Emotive language
Words and phrases that carry strong emotions or provoke an emotional response.
Hyperbole
Exaggeration to emphasise a point
Repetition
Repeating words or phrases to emphasise a point
Oxymoron/oxymoronic
An oxymoron is where two words that are directly opposite are put together. Oxymoronic is when the meanings of the words not the words the self are opposite.
Triplet and incremental.
A triplet is a list of three. Incrementum is where the list builds up in importance/severity.
Contrasts and juxtaposition
A contrast is where two opposites are used by a writer together for effect,p. Juxtaposition is where two contrasting ideas are placed close together with contrasting effect.
Figurative Language
Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions that don’t have a literal meaning: metaphors, similes are personification are examples of this.
Metaphor
Metaphor refers to something as if it actually is something else
Simile
A simile compares something to something else. They usually use ‘like’ or ‘as’ to show comparison.
Personification
This involves giving non-human objects human characteristics.
Register
Register to refers to the formality of a text, whether it is formal or informal.
Colloquial language/ Colloquialisms
Language which is common in speech but it in formal written English.
Slang
Informal language: ace instead of awesome.
Semantic field
When a text has a topic or subject that a group of words relate to.
Topic sentence and topic development.
Usually, a paragraph opens with a topic sentence, which introduces the subject of a sentence. The rest of the sentences in the paragraph then go on to develop and topic.
Ellipses
An ellipses refers to words, which have been missed out of a sent a cross or text. The punctuation mark… Is sometimes use to show omission of words.
Opening sentence
The first sentence of the text
Sequence through a passage
How the writer has ordered events or details throughout the text
Introductions and developments
A writer might choose to introduce and develop a character in a certain way
Summaries and conclusions
A writer might summarise events or details or use a conclusion to draw together the main ideas
Chronology
Chronology relates to ordering in time. Non-linear means that events have not been ordered in a time line.
Digressions
A digression is a deviation away from the main events or sequence
Narrative perspective
This refers to the voice of the narrator. An omniscient narrator is one who is ‘all seeing’. Focalisation is where a third person narrator sees events through a characters thoughts.
Spotlight on character
How the writer has bought the character to life
Shift of focus
When the writer changes topic, setting or character.
Narrowing and widening focuses
A focus can become smaller or larger where a writer zooms in and out or moves from the big picture to specific details.
Connections and links across paragraphs
A writer will signpost movements and developments through the text using discourse markers.
Reiteration/ repetition
Writer has repeated an idea or point
Topic sentences and internal cohesion
A topic sentence introduces a point and internal cohesion is how a point is developed in a section or paragraph.
Spatial shift
A change in place or setting
Setting
A setting can change for dramatic effect or can reflect the mood/atmosphere
Motif
A motif is a recurring idea or theme
Threads
A thread is a strand that keeps coming up. It tends to be more specific than a general theme.
Foreshadowing/ Retrospect
Theirs is where earlier events provide a clue or indication of future events. Retrospect is about looking back.
