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AP Language > Major Literary Terms > Flashcards

Major Literary Terms Flashcards

1
Q

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

A

allegory

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2
Q

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

A

alliteration

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3
Q

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference

A

allusion

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4
Q

uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language

A

ambiguity

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5
Q

a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification

A

analogy

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6
Q

a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another

A

antecedent

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7
Q

a pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

A

aphorism

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8
Q

addresses an imaginary character in his speech

A

apostrophe

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9
Q

the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art

A

atmosphere

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10
Q

a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate

A

clause

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11
Q

(of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary

A

colloquial

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12
Q

a fanciful expression in writing or speech; an elaborate metaphor

A

conceit

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13
Q

an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning

A

connotation

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14
Q

the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests

A

denotation

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15
Q

the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing

A

diction

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16
Q

intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

A

didactic

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17
Q

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

A

euphemism

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18
Q

when an author exploits a single metaphor or analogy at length through multiple linked vehicles, tenors, and grounds throughout a poem or story

A

extended metaphor

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19
Q

language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation

A

figurative language

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20
Q

a word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage

A

figure of speech

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21
Q

the features shown by texts that allow them to be put into a specific genre

A

generic conventions

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22
Q

a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter

A

genre

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23
Q

a religious discourse that is intended primarily for spiritual edification rather than doctrinal instruction; a sermon

A

homily

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24
Q

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

A

hyperbole

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25
Q

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work

A

imagery

26
Q

deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements

A

infer (inference)

27
Q

insulting, abusive, or highly critical language

A

invective

28
Q

the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect

A

irony

29
Q

a type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases

A

loose sentence

30
Q

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

A

metaphor

31
Q

the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant, for example suit for business executive, or the track for horse racing

A

metonymy

32
Q

a temporary state of mind or feeling

A

mood

33
Q

a spoken or written account of connected events; a story

A

narrative

34
Q

the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle )

A

onomatopoeia

35
Q

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., faith unfaithful kept him falsely true )

A

oxymoron

36
Q

a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory

A

paradox

37
Q

the state of being parallel or of corresponding in some way

A

parallelism

38
Q

an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect

A

parody

39
Q

overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching

A

pedantic

40
Q

a stylistic device employed at the sentence level, described as one that is not complete grammatically or semantically before the final clause or phrase

A

periodic sentences

41
Q

the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

A

personification

42
Q

a particular attitude or way of considering a matter

A

point of view

43
Q

can be a single adjective, or it can be a phrase that includes an adjective and any modifiers

A

predicate adjective

44
Q

a word in the nominative case that completes a copulative verb, such as son in the sentence Charlie is my son

A

predicate nominative

45
Q

written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure

A

prose

46
Q

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques

A

rhetoric

47
Q

a strategy–a way or method of presenting a subject—through writing or speech

A

rhetorical modes

48
Q

the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

A

sarcasm

49
Q

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues

A

satire

50
Q

the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning

A

semantics

51
Q

a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed

A

style

52
Q

the adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb

A

subject complement

53
Q

a clause, typically introduced by a conjunction, that forms part of and is dependent on a main clause (e.g., “when it rang” in “she answered the phone when it rang”)

A

subordinate clause

54
Q

an instance of a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn (whether validly or not) from two given or assumed propositions (premises), each of which shares a term with the conclusion, and shares a common or middle term not present in the conclusion (e.g., all dogs are animals; all animals have four legs; therefore all dogs have four legs )

A

syllogism

55
Q

a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract

A

symbol

56
Q

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

A

syntax

57
Q

the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person’s thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic

A

theme

58
Q

a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved

A

thesis

59
Q

the general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc

A

tone

60
Q

the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another

A

transition

61
Q

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

A

understatement

62
Q

a natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor

A

wit

AP Language (11 decks)

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