Literary Terms. A-F Flashcards
is derived from a greek word asyndeton which means unconnected. it is a stylistic device used to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and in the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy. Asyndeton helps in speeding up the rhythm of words. EX. “This is the villain among you who deceived you, who cheated you, who meant to betray you completely.”
Asyndeton
is the opposite of epistrophe and means the repetition of the same phrase or word at the beginning of successive sentences such as in this example.
Five years have passed
Five summers, with the length of
Anaphora
is derived from a Greek word that means turning upon, which indicates the same word returns at the end of each sentence EX.
Hourly joys be still upon you! Juno sings her blessings on you…
Epistrophe
device of using character and / or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.
Allegory
the repetition of sounds , especially initial consonant sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in 2 or more neighboring words.
Alliteration
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art
Allusion
the multiple meanings, either international or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Ambiguity
a similarity or comparison between 2 different things or the relationship between them
Analogy
the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pro noun.
Antecedent
a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral principle.
Aphorism
A figure of speech that directly address abstraction such as liberty or love.
Apostrophe
the emotional mood created by the entirely of a literary work established partly by the setting.
Atmosphere
a grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.
Clause
the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.
Colloquial
a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.
Connotation
The strict , literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion attitude, or color.
Denotation
from the greek literally meaning “teaching”
Didactic
from the greek for “good speech” a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.
Euphemism
A metaphor developed at a great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.
Extended metaphor
writing or speech that is not intended to carry literary meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
Figurative Language
A device used to produce figurative language.
Figure Of Speech
a short and interesting story or an amusing event often proposed to support or demonstrate some point and make readers and listeners laugh. Anecdotes can include an extensive range of tales and stories. In face, it is a short description or an account of any event that makes the readers laugh or brood over the topic presented for the purpose.
Anecdote
Literal meaning opposite, is a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect. Antithesis emphasizes the idea of contrast by parallel structures of the contrasted phrases or clauses, i.e. the structures of phrases and clauses are similar in order to drat the attention of the listeners or readers.
For example
“Setting foot on the moon may be a small step for a man but a giant step for mankind.”
Antithesis
