Data

Copy and paste the text below. It is read-only. Select All

aliteration n. repetition of beginning sound in poetry, fiction omniscient (adj) all knowing 1st person point of view the narrator is in story, telling it from her/his character's point of view. (uses "I/we/us") 3rd person point of view the narrator is NOT a character in the story -- uses 'they, he, she, etc.' onomatopoeia (n) words that sound like what they mean -- 'meow,' 'boom,' etc. assonance The repetition of two or more vowel sounds in successive words, which creates a "KIND OF" rhyme. Like alliteration, the assonance may occur initially ("all the awful auguries") or internally ("white lilacs"). anthropomorphism (n) When inanimate objects are given human characteristics personification (n) representing an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature loquacious extremely talkative, wordy sieve (n) a utensil for sifting or straining; (v) to strain (as one does spaghetti) through a collander, etc. discern (v) to tell the small differences between similar things subtle (adj) not obvious; hard to spot; requiring skill rhyme scheme (n) the pattern of rhyming lines in a poem or song hackles (n) hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog euphamism (n) An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant eu Greek Root: good utopia (n) good/perfect place periodic (adj) recurring or reappearing from time to time rhetorical question (n) a statement posed as a question, but set up to give an answer so obvious that it requires no response -- just a thought of agreement on the part of the listener analogy (n) an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others metaphor (n) a poetic comparison that shows the similarity between two things simile (n) a kind of metaphor that uses the words 'like' or 'as' to make the comparison super clear. diction (n) 1. the author's choice of words that creates tone, attitude, and style, as well as meaning 2. HOW a speaker enunciates/speaks circumlocution (n) "talking in circles" -- indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly) hyperbole (n) extreme exaggeration elegy (n) A lyric poem lamenting the dead. syntax (n) grammatical rules for sentence structure melifluous (adj) flowing sweetly or smoothly (usu. of voices) antecedent (n) 1. a preceding occurrence or cause or event 2. noun that came before the pronoun that refers to it induction (n) logical reasoning that uses specific facts to figure out a general principal or theory deduction (n) reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect) intuition (n) instinctive, quick knowing (without the use of rational processes) axiom (n) a universally recognized principle; an accepted proof non-sequitur (n) a statement or idea that does NOT follow logically from the one before; an often funny, off topic comment synecdoche (n) A figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole (or less frequently the whole stands for one of its parts.) litotes (n) understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) wean (v) to detach from something one has grown accustomed to; originally/usually to stop nursing from mother's milk and grow into more mature nurishment epitome (n) a perfect example or embodiment (Mick Jagger is the epitome of a Rock and Roll star) hubris (n) excessive pride, arrogance, or self-confidence labyrinth (n) a maze so complex one can't find any way out (often used metaphorically to describe a problem too difficult to solve) impetuous (adj) rash, impulsive; acting on desires without thinking ahead epithet (n) 1. a descriptive word or phrase 2. a putdown that negatively characterizes someone apostrophe (n) a technique by which a writer addresses an inanimate object, an idea, or a person who is either dead or absent. (think of how the apostrophe mark (') replaces absent letters in a contraction) balanced sentence (n) characterized by parallel structure, two or more parts of the sentence have the same form, emphasizing similarities or differences. connotation (n) the feelings or emotions surrounding a word; what is implied in a definition denotation (n) the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; dictionary definition without the extra information supplied by its connotation. coerce (v) to force validity (n) state of being logically sound; measurement of how well a test, essay, etc. proves its points/stands for truth impose (v) to forcibly place upon acquiesce (v) to accept without protest; to agree or submit (to) proprietary (adj) organized by a person to whom the king had made a grant of land; belonging to one property owner aristocratic (adj) believing that those of noble birth are best leaders; snobbish; one who is in the actual nobility (royalty, dukes, earls, etc.) propound (v) to put forward, propose -- as of an idea