english vocab Flashcards
alliteration
the repetition at close intervals of consonant sounds for a purpose
allegory
a form of extended metaphor in which objects, persons, and actions, in a narrative are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself.
allusion
a reference to something in literature, history, mythology, religious texts, etc. Considered common knowledge.
ambiguity
double or even multiple meanings
connotation
the association, images, or impressions carried by a word as opposed to the words’ literal meaning.
denotation
the precise, literal meaning of a word without emotional associations or overtones
figurative language
language employing figures of speech languages that cannon the taken literally or only literally.
foreshadowing
when the author hints at events yet to come in a story
irony
a contrast between appearance and actuality
verbal irony
a writer says one thing, but means something entirely different.
situational irony
occurs when something happens that is entirely different from what is expected
dramatic irony
occurs when the reader knows information that the characters do not
metaphor
a figure of speech in which a comparison or analogy is made between two seemingly unlike things, as in the phrase “evening of life”
metonymy
a figure of speech that substitutes the name of a related object, person or idea for the subject at hand
motif
a unifying element in an artistic work, especially any recurrent image, symbol, theme, character type, subjector narrative detail
