Terminology (pg.3) Flashcards
Mood
the emotional atmosphere of a work
Motif
a standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works
Non sequitur
an inference that does not follow logically from the premises
Paradox
an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth
Parallelism
the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms
Parody
humorous imitation of a serious work
Parenthetical
a comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to quality or explain
Pathos
appeal to emotion
Pedantic
characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship
Personification
endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics
Philippic
a strong verbal denunciation
Polysyndeton
the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural
Rhetoric
the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner
Rhetorical question
a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer
Rhetorical devices
literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression
Sarcasm
harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule
Satire
the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions
Scheme
an artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words (anaphora, anastrophe, antithesis are some examples of schemes)
Simile
a comparison of two things using “like,” “as,” or other specifically comparative words
Simple sentence
a sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause
Solecism
non standard grammatical usage; a violation of grammatical rules
Structure
the arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work
Style
the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work
Syllepsis
a construction in which one word is used in two different senses
Syllogism
three-part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise
Synecdoche
using one part of an object to represent the entire object
Synesthesia
describing one kind of sensation in terms of another
Syntax
the manner in which words are arranged into sentences
Theme
a central idea of a work
Thesis
the primary position taken by a writer or speaker
Tone
the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience
Trope
an artful deviation from the ordinary or principal signification of a word (hyperbole, metaphor, and personification are some examples of tropes)
Understatement
the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it
Vernacular
the everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage
