Metalanguage

The language of the language

Alliteration

The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of the words in a sentence. It creates rhythm and emphasis. 

Anecdote

A personal story, often used in persuasive or discursive writing, to give insight into the composer and evoke pathos. 

Characterisation

The qualities and actions of the characters in a text; how they are made to be fleshed out drivers of action. Created with a variety of techniques including internal dialogue and dialogue. 

Collective pronouns

The use of “we”, “us”, to create a sense of unity between author and audience and/or represent a collective. 

Connotations (Negative and Positive)

The associations with a word, what we think of outside of its literal definition. This can be employed for specific audiences, but also broken down into negative and positive connotations. 

Contrast

Putting two things side by side to reinforce their differences.

Derogatory

Language that is used to hurt and abuse. Usually phrases directed at a particular group or person intending to cause harm. 

Dialogue

The exchange between two or more people spoken aloud, represented by quotation marks and dialogue tags (said, whispered, yelled, etc). The effect is a quick way to represent relationships, character and/or launch into action.

Direct address

Use of second person pronouns “you” to speak directly to the audience. Creates a sense of immediate connection which can be used to influence, especially in persuasive pieces. 

Emotive language

Words that capture emotions – they are often used in connection to Pathos.

Enjambment

A poetic technique, running a sentence over two lines so a break occurs mid sentence. It keeps the sentence running and breaks the rhythm of a regular clause. 

Hyperbole

Exaggeration! Emphasises the impact, or feeling of a situation by taking it beyond realty. Often created with metaphor.

Jargon

Words specific to a profession, skillset or field of work. It creates specificity and can denote knowledge specific to characters and/or the target audience, it is similar to slang. 

Juxtaposition

The same as contrast, placing two things side by side to emphasise their differences. 

Metaphor

Comparing two things saying one thing is another – similar effect to a simile but with greater abstraction..

Motif

When a symbol is repeated throughout a text, reinforcing the ideas it represents and is exploring.

Onomatopoeia

Words that represent the sounds they are making – they build interest and quickly convey noise in the written form.

Oxymoron

When two words directly contradict each other to create a new meaning that doesn’t make complete logical sense.

Paradox

The connecting of two ideas that are inherently contradictory. It creates a cognitive dissonance to arrive at a new idea. 

Personification

Giving an object or animal human qualities – the effect is to gather human empathy by making it more relatable. 

Pun

A play on words where one word has a double meaning in the context of the sentence. Often used to create humour and layers of meaning. 

Repetition

Repeating a word or phrase two or more times to provide emphasis.

Rhetorical Question

Often used in persuasive pieces, a question asked of the audience without the expectation of an answer. Effect is to provoke thought without needing the form of a discussion.

Similie

Comparing two things using “like” or “as” – the effect links two images/ideas/things – mostly for descriptive effect. 

Superlative

A description that takes something to its furthest extreme.

Symbolism

When an object, character, location, etc represents an abstract idea. The effect is to ground abstraction and convey it in something more concrete.

Tone

Similar to atmosphere, however it is also related to our relationship with the audience. Tone is often described as formal or informal/casual and is created by our choice of diction.

Zoomorphism

Like personification but instead assigning animal attributes to a human, idea, or object. 

Allegory

When a text is representing another story through an extended metaphor. Often these texts have strong moral messages and by placing them in a different context or basing them in different subject matter it gives audiences a greater chance to engage with them.

Salience

The element/s in an image which stand out and attract the viewer's attention, it refers to the feature in a composition that most grabs your attention.

Gaze

Refers to where the figure in the image is looking.

Vector

A vector is a line that leads your eye from one element to another. A vector may be a visible line or an invisible one. It can be created by such things as against, pointing fingers or extended arms.

Framing

Elements in a layout can be disconnected and marked off from each other or connected. If elements are cut off from one another they are strongly framed. Framing can be achieved by borders, this discontinuities of colour and shape, for my white space. Connectedness can be achieved by vectors and devices such as overlapping or superimposition of images.

Shots and Perspectives

Viewing angles and distance are very similar to film shot. For example, 'low angles' make the subject look more powerful while the reverse is true when a 'high angle' is used. A high angle makes the viewer feel a sense of power and a lower angle makes the viewer feel powerless. A straight on eyelevel view creates no power difference. Like in film medium, illustrators use 'shots' for different purposes, for example close-ups, long shots etc.

Demand

A term used when a figure in the image 'gazes' directly out of the page at the responder. This establishes a connection between subject and viewer.

Offer

A term used when a figure 'gazes' at another object in the image encouraging us to look at that object, the viewer is a detached onlooker.