English Poetry Key Words Flashcards
(41 cards)
What is alliteration?
Words beginning with the same letter sounds to create emphasis on words.
Example: ‘dark dreary dreams’
Define assonance.
Sounds that come from within the word rather than the start.
Example: ‘Fearful tears of misery’ (emphasis on the e-a-s sounds)
What is consonance?
Consonant sounds at the end of words.
Example: ‘wet set of regrets’
Define cacophony.
Harsh sounds that create a discordant effect.
Example: ‘dark knuckles wrapping across bricks’ (often Ks, Ts, Cks)
What is onomatopoeia?
Words that sound like the effect they describe.
Example: ‘splash, slap, crack’
What does repetition refer to in poetry?
Repeating words over a verse, stanza, or poem to draw focus and add emphasis.
What is rhyme?
Words with similar ending sounds creating a music-like effect.
Example: ‘theme/stream/dream’
Define rhythm in the context of poetry.
The organization of words to create a noticeable sound or pace, often measured in syllables.
What are the five basic rhythms in poetry?
- Iambic
- Trochaic
- Anapestic
- Dactylic
- Spondaic
What is an allegory?
Something symbolic; often a story that represents larger themes.
Example: The tortoise and the hare.
Define allusion.
Referring to something well known, which could be a celebrity or any contextually fitting reference.
What does ambiguity mean?
A word or idea meaning more than one thing to provoke thought.
What is an analogy?
A comparison between something unfamiliar and something familiar to aid understanding.
Define cliché.
Something that is overused and becomes expected or cheesy.
Example: ‘raining cats and dogs’
What is connotation?
The associations that come with a word.
Example: Rose—Love and Passion.
What does contrast refer to in literature?
Closely placed ideas that are opposites or very different.
Example: ‘He had cold eyes but a warm heart.’
Define denotation.
The literal definition of something without deeper interpretation.
What is a euphemism?
A more acceptable way of saying something distasteful.
Example: ‘she is at peace’ means she is dead.
What is hyperbole?
An over-the-top exaggeration for effect.
What is irony?
Deliberate use of a false or misleading statement in such a way that the truth is apparent
Example: “Wow dead flowers, what I always wanted…”
Define metaphor.
Direct comparison of two things, stating one is or acts as another without using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Metaphors are often used to create vivid imagery.
What is an oxymoron?
Two words placed together with differing meanings to create a new meaning
Example: ‘bitter sweet’.
What is a paradox?
A situation or statement which contradicts itself
Example: ‘the taller I get the shorter I become’.
What does personification mean?
Describing an inanimate object or animal with human qualities.
