| Term | Definition |
|---|
| litotes | a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity |
| loose sentence | a sentence that follows the customary word order of english sentences; the main idea of the sentance is presented first and is then followed by one or more subordinate clauses |
| maxim | a saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth |
| metaphor | a figure of speech that compares unlike objects |
| metonymy | a figure of speech that uses the name of of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated |
| montage | a quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea |
| mood | the emotional tone in a work of literature |
| motif | a phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in a work of literature |
| non sequitur | a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before |
| onomatopoeia | the use of words whose sounds suggest their meaning |
| oxymoron | a term consisting of contradictory elements juxtaposed to create a paradoxical effect |
| paradox | a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true |
| pathetic fallacy | faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects |
| periodic sentence | a sentence that departs from the usual word order of english sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end. |
| personification | a figure of speech in which objects and animals are given human characteristics |
| pun | a humorous play on words, using similar sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings |
| rhetoric | the language of a work and its style; words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience |
| rhetorical stance | language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a particular subject |
| sarcasm | a sharp, caustic expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt |
| simile | a figurative comparison using the words like or as |
| stream of consciousness | a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind |
| style | the manner in which an author uses and arranges words, shapes ideas, forms sentences, and creates a structure to convey ideas |
| symbolism | the use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object |
| verbal irony | a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words |
| voice | the real or assumed personality used by a writer or speaker |
| wit | the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to complement subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene |
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