Word Craft 2 Flashcards
A negative term applied to a vague or equivocal expression when precision would be more useful; in literature can be a powerful device, leaving something undetermined in order to open up multiple possible meanings
Ambiguity
A grammatical construction in which two usually adjacent nouns having the same referent stand in the same syntactical relation to the rest of the sentence
Apposition
The act of addressing some abstraction or personification that is not physically present
Apostrophe
Constructing a sentence so that both halves are about the same length and importance
Balance
A hackneyed or trite phrase that has become overused; considered bad writing and bad literature
Cliché
A word or phrase used everyday in plain and relaxed speech, but rarely found in formal writing
Colloquialism
The extra tint or taint of meaning each word carries beyond the minimal, strict definition found in a dictionary
Connotation
The minimal, strict definition of a word as found in a dictionary, disregarding any historical or emotional connotation
Denotation
Potentially confusing words and phrases used in a occupation, trade, or field of study
Jargon
A term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting, including its customs, clothing, dialect, and landscape
Local color
In literature, a feeling, emotional state, or dispositions of mind-especially the predominating atmosphere or time of a literary work; in grammar, an aspect of verbs
Mood
A conspicuous recurring element, such as a type of incident, a device, a reference, or verbal formula, which appears frequently in works of literature
Motif
A play on two words similar in sound but different in meaning
Pun
The repeating of a phrase, word, or stanza form; a strong literary device used for emphasizing something important; can also help tie different ideas together
Repetition
A sentence fragment that is used to create a desired effect
Rhetorical fragment
