Vocab 3

Question 1

morpheme

Answer 1

A morpheme is the smallest grammatical unit in a language that carries meaning, which can be a word or a part of a word, such as a prefix or suffix.

Question 2

ad hoc

Answer 2

Solutions or analyses that are created for a specific purpose or situation, often without consideration for broader applicability.

Question 3

sine qua non

Answer 3

Something that is absolutely necessary for the existence or functioning of a narrative or thematic structure.

Question 4

obfuscate

Answer 4

To deliberately make something unclear or difficult to understand, often used by authors to create complexity in themes or plots.

Question 5

castigate

Answer 5

To castigate means to criticize someone severely, often reflecting moral judgment on characters’ actions within the narrative.

Question 6

boilerplate

Answer 6

Standard text that can be reused in various contexts; in literature, it may describe clichéd phrases or formulas that lack originality and depth.

Question 7

allude, allusion

Answer 7

To make an indirect reference to another work, person, or event; an allusion enriches the text by connecting it with broader cultural or literary contexts.

Question 8

conceit (of a film, novel, plot)

Answer 8

An extended metaphor that draws an elaborate comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things, often central to the theme of a work.

Question 9

reification, reify

Answer 9

Treating abstract concepts as if they were concrete realities; in literature, this can manifest when complex ideas are simplified into tangible forms within narratives.

Question 10

elucidate

Answer 10

To clarify or explain something in detail within a literary context, helping readers understand complex themes or character motivations.

Question 11

canon, canonical

Question 12

de facto

Question 13

highbrow, lowbrow

Question 14

trepidation

Question 15

internalize

Question 16

subversive

Question 17

genesis

Question 18

pro forma