Language Techniques Flashcards
(60 cards)
What are the 4 sentence types?
Imperitive - A command
Declaritive - A statement
Exclamative - With an exclamation
Interrogative - A question
What is a soliloquy?
When a character’s thoughts are said out loud.
What is a paradox?
A statement that seems to be contradictory or absurd, but can prove to be true.
What is a monologue?
When only one character is speaking to another character/s.
What is a successive clause?
Multiple clauses strung together to express a sequence of actions or ideas.
Explain anaphora.
It’s the repitition of words at the beginning of successive clauses. For example, “We shall win the race even if we’re tired. We shall win the race, even if it’s hard.”
This could add an emphasis effect through repitition to magnify an idea to the reader/audience.
Explain asyndeton.
It’s when you omit conjunctives to speed up the pace of a sentence. For example “Take it, use it, leave it.”
This creates a sense of urgency in the text and can be used at times of high tension.
Explain polysindeton.
The overuse of conjunctives in a sentence. For example, “He ran and he jumped and he fell but he conquered.”
It still suggests urgency while providing a slightly slower pace than asyndeton would. It normally uses repeated conjunctions such as “and” which makes it more rhythmic and memorable.
What is juxtoposition?
This is the contrast between two ideas or images. For example, “I snuggled in the warmth of winter.”
This could create irony within a piece or create contrast which emphasises an idea.
What is an oxymoron?
This is when two words directly contradict eachother for example, “honest thief.”
This can forshadow or reveal pradoxes, enhance dramatic effect, create irony within a text, or add depth through ambiguity.
Explain a pathetic fallacy.
This is when the weather/setting reflects the mood or tone of a character/scene. For example, the weather being full of lightning and thunder when the 3 witches meet.
This creates an immersive and vivid ambience within a play or text that encapsulates the focus of the tone to amplify it.
What is hypophora?
This is when a question is asked but immediately answered. For example, “Have you ever been afraid? I know I have.”
This allows room for thought and is a good way of introducing ideas effectively. It enables the reader to personally connect to the text then return to the narrative; which is beneficial if the text has an impactful purpose.
Explain tricolon.
Also known as the rule of three, this means three parralel ideas/elements. For example, “She wanted peace, liberty and happiness.”
The ideas don’t have to be consequtive, it can be seperates words, or phrases, or clauses.
Explain anadiplosis.
This is when a word from the end of a clause is repeated at the beginning of another. For example, “From laughter to anger. Anger to sadness. Sadness to hate.”
This emphasises a sequences of emotions or events by clearly sepearting them. It forms a slower pace for the reader to understand deeper the progression of emotion/
Explain sibilance.
This is when there’s repitition of a ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sound. For example, “The deadly serpents were assassinated, served on a silver platter.”
This can create mood, normally an eerie prescence which can create an implicit tone for a scene, allowing the reader/audience to wonder.
What language technique is being used in this text? “I fell asleep, my dreams comforted me. I fell asleep, the dusk stepped into dawn. I fell asleep, but my alarm woke me up.”
Anaphora
Repetition at the beginning of each successive clause.
What language technique is being used in this text? “I love the bittersweet memories.”
Oxymoron
“Bitter” contradicts “sweet” to create room for interpretation and complexifies the sentence.
What language technique is being used in this text? “How many more days until summer? Twenty-three, and I can’t wait!”
Hypophora
The technique of asking a question and immediately answering it.
What language technique is being used in this text? “The more you try to control something, the less control you have.”
Paradox
An idea that, at first, is contradictory and obscure but can further be proved.
What language technique is being used in this text? “He ran and slid and squeezed through and got up to claim his victory.”
Polysyndeton
The gramatical overuse of conjunctions to decrease pace. Repetition makes it memorable and effective.
What language technique is being used in this text? “Slimy serpents squeeze through slithers of space.”
Sibilance
The repetition of the ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sound.
What is a complex sentence?
This is when a sentence has a subordinate clause. For example “While I was at the park, I rode my scooter.”
What is a simple sentence?
A single independant clause containg a subject and a verb. “The baby cried very loudly.”
What is a compound sentence?
When a sentence contains two main clauses, joined through a coordinating conjuntion. For example, “The noise was really loud, therefore I covered my ears.”
