AP Lang Terms 1
About this set
Created by:
madsterini on September 13, 2008
Subjects:
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
28 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 allegory | using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human exsistence |
| allusion | a direct and indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an even, book, myth, place, or work of art. can be historical , literary, religious, topical or mythical |
| ambiguity | multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage |
| analogy | similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explian something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging |
| aphorism | terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. can be a memorable summation of the author's point |
| extended metaphor | metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work. |
| hyperbole | figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. often have a comical effect, produces irony |
| irony | contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. used to create poignancy or humor (1) verbal- words literally state the opposite of the writer's meaning (2)situational- events turn out opposite of what was expected (3)dramatic- facts/events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader |
| parallelism | repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase, organizing force to attract the readers attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm |
| sarcasm | bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt ridicule someone or something, can use irony, well done is witty and insightful |
| thesis | sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the authors opinion, purpose, meaning, or position |
| theme | central idea/message of a work, the insight it offers into life. unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction directly stated |
| tone | describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. how a work would sound read aloud |
| transition | word/phrase that links different ideas. used in expository and argumentative writing, transitions effectively signal a shift from one idea to another |
| understatement | ironic minimalizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is, can be humorous and empatic |
| atmosphere | emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the settin and partly but the author's choice of objects that are described |
| mood | prevailing atmosphere/emotional aura of a work, effected by setting, tone, and events |
| point of view | perspective from which a story is told, first person narrative- I, third person narrative- he, she, it |
| symbolism | represents itself and stands for something else, concrete representing abstract (1)natural objects and occurrences form nature to symbolize ideas commonly associated with them (2)conventional invested with meaning by group (3)literary sometimes conventional found in a variety of works and generally recognized |
| alliteration | repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words, reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage |
| apostrophe | figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love, an address to someone or something that cannot answer, add familiarity of emotional intensity |
| conceit | fanciful expression, in form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects, displays intellectual cleverness as a result of the unusual comparison being made |
| imagery | sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions, uses terms related to the five senses: auditory, visual, tactile, gustatory and olfactory, one can represent more than one thing |
| metaphor | figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity, makes writing more vivid, imaginative thought provoking, and meaningful |
| metonymy | figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it, substituted term carries a more potent emotionally impact |
| onomatopoeia | figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words |
| personification | figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing then with human attributes of emotions |
| repetition | the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.