Techniques Flashcards
(52 cards)
What is a metaphor?
A figure of speech in which something is described as though it were something else to show similarity.
Example: “Time is a thief.”
Define simile.
A comparison between two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Example: “Her hair shone like gold.”
What is alliteration?
The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in words close together.
Example: “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
Explain personification.
Attributing human characteristics to non-human things or abstract concepts.
Example: “The trees danced in the wind.”
What does onomatopoeia refer to?
Words that imitate natural sounds.
Example: “The bee buzzed.”
Define hyperbole.
An exaggerated statement used for emphasis or effect.
Example: “I’ve told you a thousand times.”
What is an oxymoron?
A combination of two contradictory or opposite words to create an effect.
Example: “Jumbo shrimp.”
What does irony mean?
A contrast between expectations and reality, or when the opposite of what is meant happens.
Example: A fire station burning down.
Define anaphora.
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: “I have a dream that one day… I have a dream that one day…”
What is a euphemism?
A mild or less direct expression used instead of a harsh or direct one.
Example: “Passed away” for “died.”
What does allusion refer to?
A reference to another text, event, person, or historical fact.
Example: “He’s a real Romeo when it comes to romance.”
Explain juxtaposition.
Placing two ideas, characters, or things side by side to highlight their differences.
Example: “The rich man and the poor man sat together.”
What is a rhetorical question?
A question posed for effect rather than to elicit an answer.
Example: “Isn’t it time we took action?”
Define colloquialism.
Informal language used in everyday conversation, often specific to a region or group.
Example: “Y’all” (you all) in Southern American English.
What is repetition in literature?
The repeated use of words or phrases for emphasis or effect.
Example: “I will not go, I will not stay.”
What does climax refer to in language?
A figure of speech in which words or ideas are arranged in order of increasing importance.
Example: “He came, he saw, he conquered.”
Define antithesis.
A contrast or opposition of ideas, often in parallel structure.
Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
What is asyndeton?
The omission of conjunctions between phrases or clauses.
Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Define polysyndeton.
The use of several conjunctions in close succession, often more than necessary.
Example: “We have ships and men and money and stores.”
What is chiasmus?
A rhetorical device where two or more clauses are balanced against each other by reversal of their structures.
Example: “Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You.”
Define paradox.
A statement that seems self-contradictory or opposed to common sense, yet often contains a truth.
Example: “Less is more.”
What is ellipsis?
The omission of one or more words that are understood in the context of the sentence.
Example: “I ordered the chicken… and she ordered the steak.”
What does synecdoche mean?
A figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole or the whole for a part.
Example: “All hands on deck.”
Define metonymy.
The substitution of one word or phrase for another with which it’s closely associated.
Example: “The White House issued a statement” (referring to the President or the administration).
