Module 1 | Part 3 Flashcards
refers to the repetition of any particular sound among words placed close together, in a sentence. These are mainly consonant sounds, but can be vowel sounds too. It is often used as a figure of speech in poetry
“Peck of pickled peppers”
“Don’t delay dawns disarming display. Dusk demands daylight.”
“Sara’s seven sisters slept soundly in sand.”
“You’ll never put a better bit of butter on your knife.”
“Good men are gruff and grumpy, cranky, crabbed, and cross.”
“A moist young moon hung above the mist of a neighboring meadow.”
“Guinness is good for you.”
Alliteration
This refers to the inversion of the normal order of speech in a particular sentence.
It can also be said, that the language is interrupted, and speech takes a sudden turn. This is used for the purpose of emphasis. Direct address of an absent or dead person or personified thing.
-
Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man.
(Original Sentence: There was no object. There was no passion. I loved
the old man.) -
“Why should their liberty than ours be more?”
(Original Sentence: Why should their liberty be more than ours?) - “God help me!”
- “Ambition, you’re a cruel master!”
- “Milton! Thou shouldn’t be living at this hour: England hath need of thee.”
- “Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art”
- “Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art!”
Anastrophe
This refers to a **repetition of one particular word purposely*, at the start of consecutive sentences or paragraphs. This is again in order to emphasize a point.
- I’m not afraid to die. I’m not afraid to live. I’m not afraid to fail. I’m not afraid to succeed. I’m not afraid to fall in love. I’m not afraid to be alone. I’m just afraid I might have to stop talking about myself for five minutes.
-Kinky Friedman, When the Cat’s Away - Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient
Mariner - “If a man has talent and can’t use it, he’s failed.”
“If a man has talent and can’t use it, he’s failed.” - “No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother.”
- “In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.”
- “Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made.”
Anaphora
This refers to the substitution of a proper name, with a phrase, which then becomes a way of recognition for the person in question.
- The King of Pop - Michael Jackson
- The Bard - William Shakespeare
- The Dark Knight – Batman
- ” The King of Rock” for Elvis Presley
- “The Great Bard” for William Shakespeare
- “The Voice” for Frank Sinatra
- “The Scottish play” for Macbeth
Antonomasia
It s the use of neutral language to remark something that may be offensive to the receiver. ______ is often used by people who are diplomatic, and who wish to be politically correct.
- We have to let you go: You’re fired.
- You’re well fed: You’re fat.
- Bun in the oven: Pregnant
- Between jobs: Unemployed
- Character line: Wrinkle
- Batting for the other side: Homosexual
- Disinformation: Lie
- Revenue enhancement: Taxes
- Lose your lunch: Vomit
Euphemism
It is a figure of speech used for the
purpose of exaggeration. It mainly forms the basis of several jokes, is used as a
way of insults, or could simply be used to dramatize a situation, where in reality,
the situation may not be that bad.
- I’m so busy trying to accomplish ten million things at once. - I’m trying to accomplish several things at one time.
- Your dog is so ugly, we had to pay the fleas to live on him. - Here the hyperbole has been used as an insult.
- Your mama’s hair is so short she could stand on her head and her hair wouldn’t touch the ground. . . .
- Your father is so low he has to look up to tie his shoes.
- You’re so low down you need an umbrella to protect yourself from ant piss.
- I’m so hungry I could eat a goose with its beak!
- I have told you a million times not to lie!
- You snore louder than a freight train
Hyperbole
It refers to the use of certain words that actually intend to convey the opposite. ____ forms the basis of sarcasm, and of humor. It is also a way of expressing the ugly truth in a slightly gentle manner.
Three kinds of irony are commonly recognized:
1. _____ irony is a trope in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express.
2. ______ irony involves an incongruity between what is expected or intended and what actually occurs.
3. ______ irony is an effect produced by a narrative in which the audience knows more about present or future circumstances than a character in the story.
- Bill Gates winning a computer. Situational Irony (He is the owner of the
world’s largest software company.) - Having a fight with your best friend just before your birthday, and commenting -“Great, this is just what I needed”. - Verbal Irony (It is probably the worst thing that could happen before your birthday.)
- In Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet is drugged, Romeo assumes her to be dead, and kills himself. Upon waking up Juliet finds him dead, and kills herself. - Dramatic Irony (mainly based on miscommunication and misunderstanding)
Irony
Verbal; Situational; Dramatic
This figure of speech is used by people who do not wish to speak on a subject, but still manage to disclose it.
A pretended or suggested omission for rhetorical effect, usually introduced by “I say nothing of,” “not to mention,” or the like.
Paralepsis, or Omission, is a figure by which the orator pretends to conceal or pass by what he really means to declare and strongly to enforce.
- It would be unseemly for me to dwell on Senator Kennedy’s drinking problem, and too many have already sensationalized his womanizing…
- I will not dwell on the senator’s shady history with the criminal underworld, or on her alcoholic son… such issues should not be brought up in a reasoned debate.
- “The music, the service at the feast,
The noble gifts for the great and small,
The rich adornment of Theseus’s palace . .
All these things I do not mention now.”
(Chaucer, “The Knight’s Tale,” The Canterbury Tales)
Paralipsis
Used for the purpose of comparison, a metaphor is a figure of speech that implies the meaning of an object with its reference to another completely unrelated object.
- The sofa is fertile soil for a couch potato.
- But my heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill. - William Sharp, The Lonely Hunter
- “Love is an alchemist that can transmute poison into food–and a spaniel that prefers even punishment from one hand to caresses from another.” (Charles Colton, Lacon)
- “Men’s words are bullets, that their enemies take up and make use of against them.” (George Savile, Maxims)
- “A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind.” (William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors)
- “The rain came down in long knitting needles.” (Enid Bagnold, National Velvet)
- “The streets were a furnace, the sun an executioner.” (Cynthia Ozick, “Rosa”)
Metaphor
Uses a contradictory adjective to define an
object, situation or event.
It is formed when two words that don’t normally go together are conjoined, creating a compressed paradox.
A paradox is interesting because it is false and true at the same time. Paradoxical observations are often extraordinarily thought provoking, helping us see old realities in new ways.
Somebody once said–quite wisely–that a paradox is a truth standing on its head to get our attention.”
- Loners club
- A stripper’s dressing room
- I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous!
- “The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep.”
- “We picked a bad year to have a good year.”
- “We have to believe in free will. We have no choice.”
- “That building is a little bit big and pretty ugly.”
- “I want to die young at a ripe old age.”
Oxymoron
Such words imitate the sounds made by certain objects or actions.
The use of words (such as hiss or murmur) that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
- “Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train
rumbled over the tracks.” - “Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinng! An alarm clock clanged in the dark and silent room.”
- “I’m getting married in the morning!
Ding dong! the bells are gonna chime.” - “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.”
- “Plink, plink, fizz, fizz”
- “Klunk! Klick! Every trip”
Onomatopoeia
This figure of speech refers to the use of understatement, to affirm a particular situation or event with the use of a negative opposite.
“_____ describes the object to which it refers not directly, but through the negation of the opposite.
- He was not unfamiliar with the work of Shakespeare. -He was familiar
with the work of Shakespeare. - Einstein is not a bad mathematician. - Einstein is a great mathematician.
- “Now we have a refuge to go to. A refuge that the Cylons know nothing about! It won’t be an easy journey.”
- “I am not unaware how the productions of the Grub Street brotherhood have of late years fallen under many prejudices.”
- “for life’s not a paragraph And death I think is no parenthesis”
- “The grave’s a fine a private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.” - “Keep an eye on your mother whom we both know doesn’t have both oars in the water.”
Litotes
This refers to the art of bringing to life an
inanimate object, trait, or action, by associating it with a human quality
- The picture in that magazine screamed for attention.
- The carved pumpkin smiled at me.
- The river swallowed the earth as the water continued to rise higher and higher.
- Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for me to go home.
- The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the storm continued to brew.
- My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it.
- The thunder grumbled like an old man.
- The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze.
- Her life passed her by.
- The sun glared down at me from the sky.
- The moon winked at me through the clouds above.
- The wind sang through the meadow
Personification
Refer to the deliberate substitution of similar sounding words, to create a humorous effect.
- I bet the butcher the other day that he couldn’t reach the meat that was on the top shelf. He refused to take the bet, saying that the steaks were too high.
- Santa’s helpers are subordinate Clauses.
- A vulture boards a plane, carrying two dead possums. The attendant looks at him and says, “I’m sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.”
- Kings worry about a receding heir line.
- I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden shoe?
- “Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight”
- “Look deep into our eyes.”
Pun
Refers to the art of persuasion through effective speech.
Questions that have an obvious answer are known as rhetorical questions. Such questions are not expected to be answered, as the answer is already known. These are included in persuasive speech.
3 branches of rhetoric:
Example:
- If practice makes perfect, and no one’s perfect, then why practice? -Billy Corgan
- Why do you need a driver’s license to buy liquor when you cannot drink and drive?
Rhetoric
Deliberative; judicial; epideictic
It is similar to a metaphor. However, here, a reference between two concepts is made by using the terms ‘like’ or ‘as’.
- Because she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee/Like every girl in history.
- George felt as worn out as an old joke that was never very funny in the first place.
- “Good coffee is like friendship: rich and warm and strong.”
- “You know life; life is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We’re all of us looking for the key.”
- “When Lee Mellon finished the apple he smacked his lips together like a pair of cymbals.”
- “He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.”
- “cute as a kitten,” comparing the way someone looks to the way a kitten looks
- “as busy as a bee” comparing someone’s level of energy to a fast-flying bee
Simile
This figure of speech refers to the use of only one word to describe two actions or events. The word however, logically applies only to one of the actions.
- She opened the door and her heart to the orphan.
- She lowered her standards by raising her glass, her courage, her eyes and his hopes.
- She arrived in a taxi and a flaming rage.
- He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.
- You held your breath and the door for me.
- The addict kicked the habit and then the bucket.
- He lost his coat and his temper.
- To wage war and peace
Zeugma
A figure of speech in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form. In other words the clauses display inverted parallelism.
- He knowingly led and we followed blindly
- Swift as an arrow flying, fleeing like a hare afraid
- ‘ Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.’
- “Nice to see you, to see you, nice!”
- “You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.”
- “In the end, the true test is not the speeches a president delivers; it’s whether the president delivers on the speeches.”
- “I had a teacher I liked who used to say good fiction’s job was to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
- “Roll on thou dark and deep blue ocean.”
Chiasmus
A figure of speech in which some absent or nonexistent person or thing is addressed as if present and capable of understanding.
- “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.”
(Jane Taylor, “The Star,” 1806) - “Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own.”
(Lorenz Hart, “Blue Moon”) - “Oh! Stars and clouds and winds, ye are all about to mock me; if ye really pity
me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not,
depart, depart, and leave me in darkness.”
(Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818) - “O western wind, when wilt thou blow
That the small rain down can rain?”
(anonymous, 16th c.)
Apostrophe
It is a figure of speech which refers to the juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas. It involves the bringing out of a contrast in the ideas by an obvious contrast in the words, clauses, or sentences, within a parallel grammatical structure.
- Man proposes, God disposes.
- “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.” Goethe
- “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice
- Many are called, but few are chosen.
- “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.”
- “Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.”
- “You’re easy on the eyes
Hard on the heart.” - “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
Antithesis
The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words. Adjective: assonant
- “If I bleat when I speak it’s because I just got . . . fleeced.”
- “It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!”
- “Those images that yet
Fresh images beget,
That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea.” - “Flash with a rash gimme my cash flickin’ my ash
Runnin with my money, son, go out with a blast.” - “The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent and ragged, their legs drying in knots.”
- “The setting sun was licking the hard bright machine like some great invisible beast on its knees.”
- “A lanky, six-foot, pale boy with an active Adam’s apple, ogling Lo and
her orange-brown bare midriff, which I kissed five minutes later, Jack.”
(Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, 1955)
Assonance
A figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict itself.
- “The swiftest traveler is he that goes afoot.”
(Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854) - “If you wish to preserve your secret, wrap it up in frankness.”
(Alexander Smith, “On the Writing of Essays.” Dreamthorp, 1854) - “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
(Mother Teresa) - “War is peace.”
“Freedom is slavery.”
“Ignorance is strength.”
(George Orwell, 1984)
Paradox
Are figures of speech in which statements or ideas descend according to their importance. To put it in simpler words, a serial arrangement of phrases, words or clauses in an order of higher to lower priority.
It is usually exciting to find sentences with an anticlimax but they have a negative effect and are a let-down. This occurs when the audience expects a climax that is more entertaining or thrilling. Even in spoken language, you might have often encountered people who speak in a meaningless manner that is contrary to their conclusion and buildup.
- “The Rape of the Lock’ by Alexander Pope, liberally uses anticlimax:
“Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey,
Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea.” - “The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and
enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked
to lend money.” - Mark Twain. - “Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.” -
Woody Allen. - “Jones was having his first date with Miss Smith and was utterly
captivated by her. She was beautiful and intelligent as well, and as
dinner proceeded, he was further impressed by her faultless taste.”
(Isaac Asimov’s Treasure of Humor) - The enemies had conquered about three fourth of the Empire and the
Emperor realized he didn’t have his breakfast.
Anticlimax
are figures of speech that you
might have come across a dozen of times in course of a conversation or while reading a piece of literature, but just ignored it as any other phrase or idiomatic expression.
An antimetabole refers to two unique arrangements of words in a particular sentence.
Here ideas, expressions, or a series of numbers appear in two unique patterns, where the second pattern or order appears in a sequence that is in opposite direction to the first pattern or order.
- “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your
country.” - “Virtue that transgressed is but patch’d with sin, And sin that amends
is but patch’d with virtue.” - “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
- “This man I thought had been a Lord among wits, but, I find, he is only a
wit among Lords.” - “Let us preach what we practice - Let us practice what we preach.” “It
is not even the beginning of the end but is perhaps, the end of the
beginning.” - “Those of us who have been granted a disproportionate ability to
express ourselves may not always have the best selves to express.”
Antimetaboles
It is one of the most frequently used rhetorical devices in English language that have been in vogue ever since the time of Aristotle.
Also called as rhetorical syllogism, this technique employs subtle art of persuasion to engage one’s emotions, reasoning, and morals by virtue of rhetoric.
It is an informally stated reasoning that deliberately omits one part of the deduction - the premise or the conclusion - and is often based on probabilities, examples, signs or indications
- “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good.” - slogan of Smucker’s
jams, jellies, and preserves - “But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man.” -
Mark Antony from Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ - “Mark’d ye his words? He would not take the crown. Therefore ‘tis
certain he was not ambitious.” - (Mark Antony speaking of Julius Caesar
in William Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’) - Ed is allergic to foods containing monosodium glutamate, so he cannot eat Chinese food seasoned with it.
Enthymeme
It is a figure of speech that is quite commonly used, but is considered to be poor writing choice, as most often it doesn’t relate to the action at hand. The _____is used to denote a certain characteristic in a person or a thing, which the reader can identify with.
- Sitting by his side, I watched the peaceful dawn.
- My careful steps reached the attic.
- Her stifled laughter made everybody nervous.
- In the face of such a tragedy, his laughing happiness seemed queer.
- I had reached a delicate corner.
- The idle road stretched for miles.
- All I can say is that he had an honest end.
Epithet
It is a rhetorical device that employs back-to-back verbal constructions in prose or poetry that corresponds in sound, structure, meter, meaning, etc. Besides adding certain symmetry to your writing, parallelism helps accentuate the main ideas and adds force to your expression.
- Dhenize hopes to visit his parents and see his old friends when he goes
home. - She advised me to find some new friends and forget about the event.
- I have always sought but seldom obtained a parking space near the door.
- She said that she was having fun but not that she was meeting people.
Parallelism
are ideas, or expressions, forming an integral part of any language and literature as they explain different situations using minimum phrases.
- “A rolling stone gathers no moss” - Something which is in motion does
not collect problems. - “Curiosity killed the cat” - inquisitive about things can be risky.
- “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” -
Healthy and good practices benefit your life.
Idioms
The term ‘______’ might seem unfamiliar but you would’ve surely come across such words or sentences in written text. It can be defined as a figure of speech where part of a sentence describes the entirety.
-The ship was lost with all hands. (sailors)
- His parents bought him a new set of wheels. (new car)
- He has many mouths to feed. (to look after many)
- White hair. (elderly people)
- 9/11 tragedy.
- White-collar criminals.
- Lend me your ears.
- All hands on deck
Synecdoche
It is a figure of speech in which there is a contrast between the description and reality. As such, understatement can be used to reflect modesty, sarcasm, derogatory or complimentary tone.
- “It’s a bit yellow” - while describing a very yellow canary.
- “There is some music by Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony” - while
describing Beethoven’s famous work. - “The desert is sometimes dry and sandy” - While describing the driest
desert in the world. - “It is just a little cool today” - when the temperature outside is 5°
below zero. - “The food was tolerable” - on the food that was prepared by the best
chef in the world.
Understatement
There are certain sets of rules in grammar that you have to follow in order to ensure right usage of the language. ______, with which you might be quite familiar, assist you in framing sentences on your own.
_______ can be understood as words, phrases or even clauses that have been substituted with pronouns.
Examples of Antecedent Pronoun:
Agreement
A pronoun, while substituting its noun, has to cater to the antecedent by keeping intact the following entities.
- Person: It refers to maintain the quality of being throughout the
sentence. - Number: This entity distinguishes between the singular and plural
quantities mentioned in the sentences. - Gender: Describes whether the subject is masculine or feminine.
Some Other Examples
- Students in on-line classes have to be organized to keep up with their
assignments.
Antecedent: Students
Pronoun: Their - School psychologists note the importance for every student to express
his/her emotions.
Antecedent: student
Pronoun: his/her
Antecedents
Alfred North Whitehead once said, ‘_____ is no mere idle, fancy or corrupt degeneration; it is inherent in the very texture of human life’. The use of symbols has been employed since ancient times by various groups of people in the fields of art, literature, science, mathematics, religion, philosophy, dream interpretation, health etc.
Symbolism
Is fun to play with and can be a single word, a phrase or a clause. Adjuncts have adverbial functions and are used to describe time, place or location - meditative, casual, instrumental or conditional.
______ are extra nuclear - they are added or joined to a well-phrased sentence to enhance its meaning. But then, it would not make much of a
difference to a sentence, if removed.
- I need your answer by tomorrow.
- She spoke quickly.
- The joining of hands around the table
- There was a connection via the internet
- Angry am I, storms across the sky.
- Good, it is, that fights the master with his dark lord.
- She would buy a new car, if she won the lottery
- She will leave after she has had breakfast.
- The cute dog in that compound is very friendly
- The class was very silent when the principal walked by
Adjunctions
is one of the key figures of speech and hence, it is important to know what the word signifies. _____ is the redundant or pointless use of words, which effectually delivers the same meaning
- I am feeling very sleepily sleepy as I got up at 5 am in the morning.
– They are giving free gifts!
– My best friend likes to watch suspense thrillers.
– She ate a salmon fish sandwich.
Tautology
It is one such rhetoric gimmick that is employed to add aural appeal to any prose or poetry. It is very similar to assonance, which is another interesting literary trope.
“‘T was later when the summer went
Than when the cricket came,
And yet we knew that gentle clock
Meant nought but going home.
Consonance
a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward, e.g., madam or nurses run.
- Radar
- Eye
- Pop
- Mom
- Dad
Palindrome
This is not just another figure of speech. The power, force, intensity and vehemence this device infuses into any writer’s, or speaker’s, work can be commendable. The rapid effect while keeping the audience hooked on to the edge is what an ____ statement does. Evolved from the Greek word asyndetos; asyndetism means unconnected or not bound together.
- He received applause, prizes, money, fame.
- He provided her education, allowance, dignity.
- I could have gone to war, I didn’t.
Asyndeton
It is an important figure of speech wherein two negatives unite to make one affirmative sentence. In English, two negatives are understood to resolve into a positive, which is exactly why double negation is widely used when making backhanded compliments
- She was so disappointed because she couldn’t go neither.
- It wasn’t uninteresting.
- I cannot say that I do not disagree with you. - A quote by Groucho Marx
Double negative
Which color suits me best-blue or Purple? We often compare things because that makes it easier to find out the best option available. It also helps to communicate things easily and effectively.
Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees.
Explanation: Comparing employees with nails is totally illogical as both of them do not share any common features.
False Analogy
A normal speaker of English language can get scared hearing the word ‘metaphor’. But remember - they are not magic words that appear only in poems and novels.
- Her house was a wild circus act, decked out in hot pink and lavender, coated with green dots.
- She was a walking color wheel, always wearing just about every shade possible, all at once
Funny Metaphors
In simpler terms, it is a rhetoric device in which the last word or phrase of the preceding clause is repeated at the beginning of the next sentence as you can see in lines, ‘Strength through unity, unity through faith’
- “Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task.” - Henry James
- “All service ranks the same with God, With God, whose puppets, best
and worst, Are we’ - Robert Browning in ‘Pippa Passes’
Anadiplosis
In simple words, rhetorical questions are those, which do not expect any answer from you.
- “If your friend jumped off the bridge would you do it too?”
- “You don’t think I’m that stupid, do you?”
- “Are you kids still awake?”
Rhetorical Questions
