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AP Lang Literary Devices > Literary Devices > Flashcards

Literary Devices Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

Alliteration

A

When a sentence contains words beginning with the same letter.

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2
Q

Allusion

A

When another piece of literature is referred in a piece of literature.

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3
Q

Ambuguity

A

To have a vague meaning or to be able to be interpreted multiple ways.

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4
Q

Allegory

A

A piece of literature with a hidden, deeper meaning

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5
Q

Analogy

A

A comparison of two things to prove a point or show the likes of two things.

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6
Q

Anaphora

A

Use of a word as a regular grammatical substitute for a previous word.
Eg. “I know it and he does too”
(He replacing it replacing I.)

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7
Q

Antecedent

A

A word or phrase substitute that is replaced by a pronoun or another substitute earlier.
“Jane lost a glove and she can’t find it”

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8
Q

Antimetabole

A

A phrase that is said and reversed.

I go where I please and I please where I go.”

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9
Q

Antithesis

A

Device in which two opposite ideas are put in a sentence for contrasting effect.

“Speech is silver, but silence is gold”

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10
Q

Aphorism

A

A statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witter manner.

Pride hath fall

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11
Q

Apostrophe

A

A figure of speech sometimes represented by exclamation “O”. Writer detaches himself from reality and addresses an imaginary character in speech.

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are

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12
Q

Appositive

A

A phrase after a word to rename or define it.

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13
Q

Archaic Diction

A

Using words that are old fashioned.

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14
Q

Asyndeton

A

A stylistic device in which coordinating clauses, connected with commas, are repeated for a stylistic effect.

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15
Q

Polysyndeton

A

A stylistic device in which coordinating conjunctions are used in a row for artistic effect.

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16
Q

Atmosphere

A

A way to depict a certain mood or setting for effect.

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17
Q

Clause

A

A grammatical unit at a level between a phrase and a sentence.

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18
Q

Chiasmus

A

When 2 or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures.

Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.

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19
Q

Colloquialism

A

Informal words, phrases, or slang in writing.

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20
Q

Conceit

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A

Comparing two unlike things with similes or metaphors

21
Q

Connotation

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A

How a term is used in every day conversations opposed to its literal definition

22
Q

Denotation

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A

The literal use of a word for its dictionary definition

23
Q

Diction

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A

An author’s specific word choice

24
Q

Didactic

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A

Literary texts which are overloaded with informative and realistic matter and are marked by omission of pleasing details.

25
Euphemism
A way of putting things in different terms to soften the meaning of the word.
26
Exigence
An issue, problem, or situation that cause or prompts someone to write or speak
27
Extended metaphor
A comparison between 2 unlike things throughout sentences in a paragraph
28
Zeugma
A figure of speech in which a word, (verb or adjective) applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas.
29
Tropes V. Schemes
Trope: The use of a word, phrase, or image in a way not intended by its normal signification. Scheme: A change in standard word order or pattern.
30
Synesthesia
A technique adopted by writers to present ideas, characters or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one sense, like hearing, seeing, etc, at a given time. Tasting of flora and the country green, dance, and provincial song, and sun burnt mirth!"
31
Synecdoche
A literary device in which a part of something represents the whole. Different than metonymy. Synecdoche represents a whole thing by the name of any one of its parts, while metonymy is a word used to link it, but it's not a part of it.
32
Syllogism
A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. Major: All mammals are warm-blooded Minor: All black dogs are mammals Conclusion: All black dogs are warm-blooded.
33
Subordinate Clause
A clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought.
34
Subject Complement
Predicate nominative: a noun following a linking verb that restates or stands for the subject. Predicate adjective: an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of the linking verb.
35
Sentence Structures: | P, C, H, I
Periodic: Making your point at the end of a long sentence. Cumulative: Independent clause followed by a series of phrases or clauses that gather details about a person, place, event, or thing. Hortative: A sentence urging to some course of conduct or action; exhorting, encouraging, "pep talk" Imperative: A type of sentence that gives advice or instructions or that expresses a request or command.
36
Semantics
The study of the meaning of language. Deals with varieties and changes in the hearing of words.
37
Rhetorical Modes | N, A, D, E
Narration: Provides details of what happened chronologically. Argument: An educated guess or opinion. Something debatable. Description: "Illustrative detail". Exposition: A statement intended to give information about something.
38
Prose
A form of language that has no formal metrical structure.
39
Periodic Sentence
When your point is at the end of a long sentence.
40
Pedantic
Someone who's too concerned with literal accuracy or formality.
41
Parallelism
The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same, or similar in their construction, sound, meaning or meter.
42
Metonymy
A figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which is closely associated.
43
Litotes
A figure of speech in which employs an understatement by using double negatives, or positives expression is states by negating its opposite expressions.
44
Non-periodic sentence
When you put your main point at the beginning of a long sentence.
45
Juxtaposition
Where 2 or more ideas or things and their actions are placed side by side in a piece of literature for developing comparisons and contrasts.
46
Invective
Writing that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution.
47
Inversion
A literary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed in order to achieve a particular effect.
48
Homily
A type of inspirational, moralizing, admonitory, or Biblical phrase or sermon.

AP Lang Literary Devices (1 decks)

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