Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

English Advanced > Literary Tehniques > Flashcards

Literary Tehniques Flashcards

1
Q

What is Accumulation?

A

A listing of words embodying similar qualities either physical or abstract with the intent of emphasising to the reader the quality that they hold in common

Accumulation helps to enhance the thematic resonance of a text.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define Adynaton.

A

A form of hyperbole which involves magnification of an event by reference to the impossible or unattainable

This rhetorical device often emphasizes the absurdity or extremity of a situation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is an Allegory?

A

A story in prose or in verse which has one surface or literal meaning co-existing with metaphorical interpretations

The allegory must be consistent throughout the story.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What does Alliteration refer to?

A

The repetition of a single consonant sound at either the beginning of words or on stressed syllables

Alliteration is commonly used in poetry and prose to create rhythm.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an Allusion?

A

An implicit reference to another work of literature or art, to a person, to an event, or to a modern meme

Allusions enrich a text by connecting it to broader cultural contexts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define Amblysia.

A

A noticeable modification of language to prepare for the announcement of something tragic, alarming, or shocking

This technique is often used to soften the impact of bad news.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is Amphiboly?

A

An ambiguity in the meaning of a sentence caused by grammatical looseness to produce a double meaning

Amphiboly can lead to confusion or misinterpretation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define Anachronism.

A

The misplacement of an action, character, phrase, or setting in time

Anachronisms may be used deliberately to distance events and to underline a universal verisimilitude and timelessness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is Anacoluthon?

A

A sentence that is begun in one way, but then ended in a different way, usually with a hyphen linking two disparate clauses

This device creates a sense of spontaneity or confusion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define Anadiplosis.

A

The repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause

Anadiplosis is often used to create emphasis on a particular idea.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is an Analogue?

A

A word or thing that is similar or parallel to another, to the point that most salient features are alike

Analogues are often used in comparisons to clarify concepts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define Anaphora.

A

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses

Anaphora is a common rhetorical device that emphasizes a point.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is Anastrophe?

A

An inversion of the normal word order, where elements of a sentence are completely back to front from convention

Anastrophe is often used for poetic effect or to create emphasis.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define Anecdote.

A

A brief account of or a story about an individual or an incident, usually used with the rhetorical intent of reinforcing a point

Anecdotes are effective in engaging the audience and illustrating arguments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is Anesis?

A

A rhetorical device in which a concluding sentence, clause, or phrase is used to deliberately diminish or discredit the previous statements

Anesis can create a humorous or ironic effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define Antanaclasis.

A

The usage of a word multiple times, where each usage uses a different denotation of the word

This device plays on the multiple meanings of a word for rhetorical effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is Anthropomorphism?

A

The attribution of human characteristics to anything which is non-human

It differs from personification in that it involves a more structural feature rather than a metaphorical one.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Define Anthimeria.

A

The substitution of one part of speech for another in the sense of making the prose more decorative

An example includes using adjectives as nouns or nouns as verbs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is Antipophora?

A

A character asks a question of themself, and then answers by themself

This device can create a dramatic or introspective effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Define Antimetabole.

A

The repetition of words in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order

Antimetabole is often used to create a memorable phrase.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is Antiphrasis?

A

The use of the word in the opposite sense to its proper denotation

It often conveys irony or sarcasm.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Define Antithesis.

A

A set of contrasting ideas sharpened by the use of opposite or noticeably different meanings

Antithesis is a powerful rhetorical device that highlights differences.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is Antonomasia?

A

The substitution of a proper noun for an epithet, title, occupation associated with that object or person

Antonomasia can create a more vivid or memorable description.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Define Aphorism.

A

A terse statement of a truth or dogma; a pithy generalisation, which may or may not be witty

An aphorism exposes and purports to give insight into a universal truth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What is Aposiopesis?
The abrupt breaking off of speech with the sentence being left unfinished ## Footnote This device creates suspense or emotional intensity.
26
Define Apostrophe.
A figure of speech in which a thing, a place, an abstract quality, an idea, a dead or absent person is addressed as if they were present and capable of understanding ## Footnote Apostrophe is often used in poetry and speeches to evoke emotion.
27
What is Archaism?
A word, phrase, or idiom which is old or obsolete at its time of usage ## Footnote Archaisms can create a sense of historical context or formality.
28
Define Assonance.
The repetition of similar vowel sounds close together in order to achieve a form of euphony ## Footnote Assonance enhances the musical quality of language.
29
What is Asyndeton?
The omission of conjunctions, articles, and often pronouns for the sake of speed and economy ## Footnote Asyndeton creates a sense of urgency or intensity.
30
What is an Aside?
A few words or a short passage spoken in an undertone or to the audience ## Footnote It is a theatrical convention presumed inaudible to other characters on stage.
31
What is Bathos?
A sensation achieved when the writer strives at the sublime and overreaches himself and topples into the absurd, either deliberately or accidentally.
32
Define Black comedy.
A form of humour which uses the shocking, horrific or macabre to create comedy, often with undertones of disillusionment and cynicism.
33
What characterizes Blank verse?
Verse which consists of unrhymed five stress lines in iambic pentameter.
34
What is a Blazon?
Verses of an overall work which dwell on and describe in detail the various parts of a woman's body.
35
Define Bombast.
The use of inflated or extravagant language.
36
What is Burlesque?
A derisive imitation or exaggerated 'sending up' of a literary or musical work, usually stronger and broader in tone and style than parody.
37
What is Cacophony?
The effect achieved through the use of harsh or contrasting sounds which sound mildly unpleasant.
38
What does Caesura refer to?
A break or pause in a line of poetry dictated by the natural rhythm of the language, or enforced by punctuation.
39
What is Catachresis?
The misapplication of a word or metaphor, particularly when used in a mixed metaphor.
40
Define Catalexis.
The omission of the last syllable or syllables in a regular metrical line.
41
What is Catharsis?
A mode of writing in which the composer writes to gain a sense of relief from tension for therapeutic effect, or similarly when the effect is created in the responder.
42
What does Chiasmus involve?
A reversal of grammatical structure in subsequent clauses or phrases with different words.
43
Define Circumlocution.
In speech, the use of many words where a few will suffice to make a roundabout point.
44
What is a Cliché?
An expression which has become formulaic and stale through overuse and repetition throughout history.
45
Define Conceit.
An elaborate figurative device of a fanciful kind which can incorporate metaphor, simile, or hyperbole which is intended to surprise or delight through ingenuity.
46
What does Connotation refer to?
The suggestion or implication evoked by a word or a phrase, over and above what the literal denotation is defined as.
47
What is Consonance?
The repetition of identical consonant sounds before or after different vowels.
48
Define Couplet.
Two successive rhyming lines.
49
What is Defamiliarisation?
The modification of a reader's habitual perceptions by drawing attention to the artifice of the text, or the peculiarities of the writing itself.
50
What does Denotation mean?
The most literal and limited meaning of a word, regardless of any additional feelings or connotations that have evolved for it.
51
Define Depitation.
The use of overly complex words in order to appear more intelligent, rather than to actually imply additional meaning.
52
What is Dissonance?
The arrangement of cacophonous sounds in words or rhythms for effect.
53
What does Double entendre mean?
A word or expression used to have two meanings, one of which is usually frivolous or bawdy.
54
What is Dramatic irony?
The effect created when the audience understand the implication and meaning of a situation in a text, or what is being said, but the characters do not.
55
Define Dysphemism.
The use of a phrase which emphasises negative qualities, unpleasantness, or defects. The opposite of a euphemism.
56
What is an Ecphonema?
An exclamation of joy, woe, or amazement.
57
Define Ekphrasis.
The intense pictorial description of an object.
58
What is an Elegy?
A poem or prose passage which mourns for an individual or laments a tragic event.
59
What does Elision refer to?
The omission or slurring of a syllable, usually to preserve the meter of a line in verse.
60
What is Ellipsis?
The omission of several words from a sentence, usually at the end, for effect, not necessarily indicated by punctuation, though commonly done through the use of three dots.
61
Define Enjambment.
The spacing of lines of verse so that the ends of sentences do not stop at the ends of lines, but flow immediately on to the next without pause.
62
What is Epanados?
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning and middle, or middle and end of a sentence.
63
Define Epanalepsis.
The repetition of words or a phrase after other words have come in between them.
64
What is epexegesis?
An explanation of what has been said in the immediately preceding statements.
65
Define epideictic oratory.
A rhetorical device which praises or blames somebody or something in public.
66
What is epistrophe?
The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
67
What does epitasis refer to in a narrative?
The section of a story or narrative where the climax is approaching and when the plot thickens.
68
Define epizeuxis.
The repetition of a word or phrase emphatically to produce a special effect.
69
What is a euphemism?
The substitution of a mild and palatable expression for a harsh and blunt one.
70
What is euphony?
The use of pleasing, mellifluous sounds, usually produced by long vowels rather than consonants.
71
What characterizes a farce?
A style of work which provokes mirth of the simplest and basic kind, usually through crude, low humour.
72
Define feminine rhyme.
A rhyme between two words with more than one syllable when all syllables rhyme and the final syllable is unstressed.
73
What is flyting?
A cursing match in verse between two characters who hurl abuse at each other.
74
What does foreshadowing involve?
The arrangement of events and information in such a way as to prepare the responder for later events.
75
What is free verse?
Verse which has no regular meter, line length, or rhyme, relying on natural speech rhythms.
76
Define hamartia.
A fatal flaw or error which causes a character's downfall.
77
What is a hemistich?
A term for half of a metrical line which has been divided by a caesura.
78
What does hendiadys refer to?
An idea expressed through the use of two substantives or a substantive and noun joined by a conjunction.
79
What is a homonym?
A word written in the same way as another, but with a different origin and meaning.
80
Define homophone.
A word pronounced the same way as another, but with a different spelling and meaning.
81
What is hubris?
Excessive pride which is brought about by a shortcoming or a defect in the hero.
82
What does hypallage involve?
An epithet transferred from one noun to modify another related noun.
83
Define hyperbaton.
The transposition of words out of their conventional grammatical order.
84
What is hyperbole?
Exaggeration of a situation or quality for emphasis.
85
What is hypocorism?
The use of familiar or endearing terms in place of proper nouns.
86
What does hypostatisation refer to?
A form of personification in which an abstract quality is spoken of as something human.
87
Define hypotyposis.
An object or person is represented as if it were present through description.
88
What is hypozeuxis?
The repetition of the same verbs with different nouns and the same subject.
89
What is an idiom?
A form of expression or phrase peculiar to the language often possessing a meaning other than its logical one.
90
Define imagery.
The use of language to represent objects, actions, feelings, thoughts, ideas, and sensory experiences.
91
What types of imagery are there?
* Visual (Sight) * Olfactory (Smell) * Tactile (Touch) * Auditory (Hearing) * Gustatory (Taste) * Kinaesthetic (Movement) * Abstract (Appeal to intellect)
92
What does invective mean?
A tone of speech or writing which is denunciatory, abusive, or vituperative.
93
What is inversion in prosody?
Reversing the stress of a syllable by substitution.
94
Define invocation.
A call for help given by a character to a supernatural being for aid.
95
What is Metalepsis?
A form of metonymy in which the general idea substituted is considerably removed from the particular detail ## Footnote Metalepsis often creates a complex relationship between the elements involved.
96
Define metaphor.
A description of one thing which is given in terms of another in the form of a direct comparison ## Footnote Metaphors are commonly used in literature to convey deeper meanings.
97
What is meter in poetry?
The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables ## Footnote Meter contributes to the rhythm and flow of a poem.
98
What is irony?
An incongruity between the words and their actual meaning or usage, intentionally used to create a contrast ## Footnote Irony can be verbal or situational.
99
What are the two main types of irony?
* Verbal irony: saying something but intending to mean the opposite * Situational irony: a situation occurs which is humorous to a character, but likely to occur to them in the future ## Footnote These types highlight different forms of incongruity.
100
Define Isocolon.
A sequence of clauses of identical length ## Footnote Isocolon is often used for rhetorical effect.
101
What is jargon?
A set of words or phrases which use vocabulary that is peculiar to a particular profession or trade ## Footnote Jargon can create barriers to understanding for those outside the profession.
102
What is a kenning?
The use of two nouns together to describe a single thing, usually with one noun abstracted and the other directly related ## Footnote Kennings are often found in Old English poetry.
103
What is light rhyme?
A rhyme where one or both of the rhyming syllables are unstressed ## Footnote Light rhyme can create a softer sound in poetry.
104
Define litotes.
A descriptive statement that deliberately understates something in order to emphasize it, usually with a negative connotation ## Footnote Litotes often uses double negatives for effect.
105
What is a malapropism?
The unintentional incorrect use of complex words by a character ## Footnote Malapropisms can be humorous and reveal character traits.
106
What is masculine rhyme?
A single monosyllabic rhyme at the end of a line ## Footnote Masculine rhyme creates a strong, definitive ending.
107
Define meiosis.
A statement which understates for emphasis and the attainment of simplicity rather than the extravagant ## Footnote Meiosis often serves to downplay a situation.
108
What is melodrama?
A form of sensational entertainment in which the main characters are excessively virtuous or exceptionally villainous ## Footnote Melodrama often exaggerates emotions and situations.
109
What is metonymy?
A substitution of the name or attribute of a thing with the thing itself ## Footnote Metonymy is often used to create a more vivid image.
110
Define monologue.
A single speaking alone with or without an audience ## Footnote Monologues can reveal a character's thoughts and motivations.
111
What are the two forms of monologue?
* Soliloquy: expresses a character's inner thoughts * Dramatic monologue: addresses an imaginary audience ## Footnote These forms serve different narrative purposes.
112
What is a motif?
A dominant idea in a work of literature which represents the main theme, usually consisting of a recurrent image or verbal pattern ## Footnote Motifs help to reinforce the central themes of a work.
113
Define mythopoeia.
The creation of a realm of mythical material or a 'private' mythology in a work of fiction ## Footnote Mythopoeia can enrich the narrative and provide depth.
114
What is a neologism?
A newly coined word or phrase in a text ## Footnote Neologisms can reflect evolving language and culture.
115
What is a nonce-word?
A word which is created for one sole use, a form of neologism that is effectively useless ## Footnote Nonce-words often appear in poetry or playful language.
116
Define onomatopoeia.
The use of words which mirror sounds ## Footnote Onomatopoeia enhances the sensory experience of language.
117
What is an oxymoron?
A combination of incongruous and contradictory words and meanings for effect ## Footnote Oxymorons create a striking contrast.
118
Define palilogy.
A deliberate repetition of words throughout a passage ## Footnote Palilogy can emphasize a particular theme or idea.
119
What is a paradox?
A statement which is inherently self-contradictory ## Footnote Paradoxes challenge conventional thinking.
120
Define paralipsis.
A deliberate exclusion of a topic in speech or writing in order to draw attention to it ## Footnote Paralipsis can create irony or highlight a point indirectly.
121
What is parallelism?
Constructing consecutive sentences in a similar style in order to balance each other ## Footnote Parallelism enhances rhythm and clarity.
122
Define parataxis.
Co-ordination of clauses close together without the use of conjunctions, only through punctuation ## Footnote Parataxis can create a sense of urgency.
123
What is parenthesis in writing?
Exclusion of words from the main body of a clause or sentence through parentheses, hyphens, dashes, or commas ## Footnote Parentheses help to add supplementary information.
124
Define paronomasia.
A play on words which uses similar sounds between words for effect ## Footnote Paronomasia often creates humor or a clever twist.
125
What is the pathetic fallacy?
A belief that the nature or emotion of events is reflected in the natural world as an expression of pathos by nature ## Footnote This concept is often used in literature to evoke emotion.
126
Define periphrasis.
The usage of many words in order to express a simple idea usually used to characterize a character as comic or overly officious ## Footnote Periphrasis can indicate a character's personality.
127
What is personification?
The attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects ## Footnote Personification helps to create relatable imagery.

English Advanced (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions