Key Term Definitions

Question 1

What are Archaic Lexis?

Answer 1

Older Language e.g. Thus, Thine

Question 2

What are Elevated Lexis?

Answer 2

Formal and Posh Language e.g. Enquire

Question 3

What are Colloquial Lexis?

Answer 3

Informal and Conversational Language e.g. Brilliant

Question 4

What are Synonyms?

Answer 4

Words with the same meaning.

Question 5

What are Antonyms?

Answer 5

Words that have the complete opposite meaning.

Question 6

What are Loan words?

Answer 6

Words that are taken from a foreign language and are not directly translated e.g. café means coffee in French.

Question 7

What are Neologisms?

Answer 7

The creation of new words, two words put together or a new meaning for an already existing word.

Question 8

What are Compound Words?

Answer 8

A word that is made up of two or more already existing words to form a new meaning e.g. snow + man = snowman

Question 9

What are Informal Lexis?

Answer 9

Informal language. Relaxed and conversational. e.g. Hey! What’s up?

Question 10

What are Formal Lexis?

Answer 10

Formal language. Impersonal and professional. e.g. Good Morning! How are you?

Question 11

What are Lexis of Spoken Word?

Answer 11

Language of spoken word e.g. slang and abbreviations

Question 12

What are Lexis of Written Word?

Answer 12

Language of written word e.g. slang and abbreviations

Question 13

What is a Semantic Field?

Answer 13

A lexical set of words grouped together that refer to a specific subject e.g. medicine, biology, animals, architecture.

Question 14

What is a Conversion?

Answer 14

The assignment of an existing word to a different word class e.g. noun - verb , e.g. email - to email and access - to access

Question 15

What is a Hypernym?

Answer 15

A word that has a broad meaning and names a broad category e.g. dog is a hypernym for dachshunds, poodles, pugs and chihuahuas.

Question 16

What is a Hyponym?

Answer 16

A word or phrase which is more specific that it’s hypernym e.g. purple, red, blue is a hyponym of the hypernym colour.

Question 17

What is Etymology?

Answer 17

The history and development of a word over time.

Question 18

What is a Connotation?

Answer 18

Something that is suggested by a word e.g. He’s such a dog, connotes shamelessness.

Question 19

What is a Denotation?

Answer 19

The literal meaning of a word e.g. Hollywood = glitz. glamour, celebrity.

Question 20

What are Collocations?

Answer 20

A group of words that are likely to be and go together e.g. strong tea and heavy drinker.

Question 21

What is a Euphemism?

Answer 21

A mild word or expression that is substituted for one that is considered too harsh. used to make something sound positive e.g. passed away instead of died and she’s getting on instead of she’s old.

Question 22

What is a Dysphemism?

Answer 22

An unpleasant word or expression that is substituted for one that is pleasant. used to make something sound negative e.g. nutcase instead of mental illness and pig for policeman.

Question 23

What are Hyperboles?

Answer 23

A form of deliberate exaggerated statements that aren’t meant to be taken literally e.g. There’s enough food in the cupboard to feed an entire army!

Question 24

What are Litotes?

Answer 24

A form of deliberate understatements to make a point e.g. It’s not the cheapest… meaning it’s expensive.

Question 25

What is Figurative Language?

Answer 25

The phrasing that goes beyond the literal meaning of words.

Question 26

What is a Simile?

Answer 26

Directly compares two things using ‘like’, ‘as’, ‘so’ and ‘then’ e.g. You were as brave as a lion.

Question 27

What is a Metaphor?

Answer 27

When a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it can’t be applicable to e.g. His words cut deeper than a knife.

Question 28

What is an Oxymoron?

Answer 28

A self contradicting words or group of words e.g. Suddenly the room filled with deafening silence.

Question 29

What is Metonymy?

Answer 29

Where a thing is referred to by the name of something that is closely associated with it e.g. The White House which refers to the American government and a dish which refers to an entire plate of food.

Question 30

What is Personification?

Answer 30

The application of a human characteristic to something non-human e.g. The wind howled in the night and The streets are calling me.

Question 31

What does FATPP stand for?

Answer 31

Form
Audience
Topic
Purpose - Inform, Educate and Entertain
Perspective