Terminology Flashcards
Adjacency pair
In conversation, a two-part exchange (e.g. a question followed by an answer).
Adverbial
An element in a sentence that usually indicates when, where or how something happened.
Antithesis
When words, ideas etc. are directly opposite in meaning.
Archaism
A word or expression that has fallen out of use.
Assonance
The rhyming of vowel sounds within two or more words.
Auxiliary verb
A ‘helping’ verb placed in front of a main verb (e.g. I WILL see you).
Blank verse
Unrhymed poetry based on iambic pentameter.
Cohesion
The techniques used to link together different parts of a text.
Comparative
An adjective that makes a comparison e.g. bigger, worse, better.
Compound sentence
Two simple sentences combined to form a single sentence by the use of co-ordinating conjunction (and, but or so).
Contraction
A shortened word form such as can’t, she’s etc.
Couplet
A pair of rhymed lines.
Deixis
‘Pointing’ words (deictic expressions), often referring to place (e.g. over there) or time (e.g. yesterday).
Denotation
The straightforward, objective dictionary meaning of a word.
Determiner
A word placed in front of a noun to indicate quantity or identity of the noun in some way. The most common determiners are a, an and the.
Dialect
A form of language with distinctive features of vocabulary, grammar etc. Usually the term refers to regional dialect (e.g. Geordie, Cockney).
Discourse marker
Words that indicate links or divisions between parts of (usually spoken) discourse (e.g. well, anyway).
Elision
The omission of a sound or syllable (e.g. o’er instead of over).
Ellipsis
When elements are missing from a clause or a sentence.
False start
In speech, a change from one grammatical construction to another.
Field-specific lexis
Words associated with a particular topic or field.
Filled pause
A voiced hesitation (e.g. um, er).
Filler
A word or expression with little meaning inserted into speech (e.g. like, you know).
Foregrounding
Using word order to highlight part of a sentence.