Terms Flashcards
(25 cards)
allegory
rhetorical strategy of extending a metaphor through an entire narrative so that objects, persons, and actions in the text are equated with meanings that lie outside the text
alliteration
repetition of an initial consonant sound
allusion
brief, usually indirect reference to a person, place, or event–real or fictional
analogy
type of composition (or, more commonly, a part of a composition or speech) in which one idea, process, or thing is explained by comparing it to something else
anaphora
scheme in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences
aphorism
brief statement of a principle that makes a wise observation about life
apostrophe
scheme in which a person or an abstract quality is directly addressed, whether present or not
catharsis
purification of emotions
colloquialism
informal expression that is more often used in casual conversation than in formal speech or writing
connotation
emotional implications and associations that a word may carry, in contrast to its denotative (literal) meanings
denotation
direct or dictionary meaning of a word, in contrast to its figurative or associated meanings
epigram
witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed;
a short, often satirical poem dealing concisely with a single subject and usually ending with a witty or ingenious turn of thought
euphemism
substitution of an inoffensive term
heteroclite diction
Deviating from ordinary forms or rules; irregular; anomalous; abnormal
inversion
reversal of the usual or natural order of words; anastrophe
juxtaposition
act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contras
metonymy
Substitution where a word or phrase is used in place of another word or phrase
motif
recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work
oxymoron
trope that connects two contradictory terms
paradox
assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but that may yet have some truth in it
parallelism
use of identical or equivalent syntactic constructions in corresponding clauses or phrases
polemic
a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine
satire
text or performance that uses irony, derision, or wit to expose or attack human vice, foolishness, or stupidity. With intent to improve
soliloquy
utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present
