PIB Lit Terms

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English Flashcards on PIB Lit Terms, created by bluechristina on 27/08/2014.
bluechristina
Flashcards by bluechristina, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by bluechristina over 10 years ago
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Question Answer
allegory device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning
alliteration the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (eg "she sells sea shells")
allusion a direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art
ambiguity - the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage
analogy a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them
aphorism a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral principle
apostrophe a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love
atmosphere the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described
colloquial language the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing
conceit a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects
denotation the strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color
diction referring to style, diction refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
didactic text from the Greek, literally means "teaching"
equivocation falsification by means of vague or ambiguous language
euphemism from the Greek for "good speech," a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept
extended metaphor a metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work
figurative language category of writing or speech that is not intended to carry literary meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid
foil a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast
foreshadowing to present an indication or a suggestion of beforehand; presage
generic conventions refers to traditions for each genre
genre the major category into which a literary work fits (eg prose, poetry, and drama)
homily literally "sermon", or any serious talk, speech, or lecture providing moral or spiritual advice
hyperbole a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement
imagery the sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions
infer (inference) the reader’s act of drawing a reasonable conclusion from the information presented or implied in the text
invective an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language
irony the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant
verbal irony words literally state the opposite of speaker's true meaning
situational irony events turn out the opposite of what was expected
dramatic irony facts or events are unknown to a character but known to the reader or audience or other characters
juxtaposition an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.
metaphor a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity
metonymy from the Greek "changed label", the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it (eg "the White House" for the President)
mood grammatically, the verbal units and a speaker's attitude (indicative, subjunctive, imperative); literarily, the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a word
moral the lesson to be learned from something that happens, or from a story
motif a recurrent element or dominant idea in a literary work
narrative the telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events
onomatopoeia natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words (eg buzz, hiss)
oxymoron from the Greek for "pointedly foolish," author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox
paradox a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity
parallelism from the Greek for "beside one another," the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity
parody a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule
pedantic an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish
personification a figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions
reification The treatment of abstractions as concrete things
point of view the perspective from which a story is told (first person, third person omniscient, or third person limited omniscient)
prose genre including fiction, nonfiction, written in ordinary language
pun the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words
repetition the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language rhetoric - from the Greek for "orator," the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively
rhetorical modes the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing (exposition explains and analyzes information; argumentation proves validity of an idea; description re-creates, invents, or presents a person, place, event or action; narration tells a story or recount an event)
simile a comparison between two unlike things using like or as
style an evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices; or, classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors
syllogism from the Greek for "reckoning together," a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (first "major," second "minor") that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion (eg All men are mortal, Socrates is a man, Socrates is mortal)
symbol (symbolism) something literal (a dove) standing for an abstract idea or concept (peace)
synaesthesia the mixing of senses in an image “the song had a blue (visual) note(sound)”
synecdoche the use of the part for the whole
syntax the way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences (intentional fragment, parallelism, rhetorical question, simple sentence, etc.)
theme the generalized insight into humanity or life a work of literature presents
thesis in expository writing, the thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly express the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition
tone describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both
transition a word or phrase that links different ideas
understatement the ironic minimalizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is
litotes A figure of speech in which an affirmation is made by denying its opposite.
wit intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights
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