AP Lang Exam Review

Select terms from AP Flashcard sets 1-7

Aporia

An expression of real or pretended doubt/uncertainty (in Hamlet: "To be or not to be?")

Chiasmus

When the grammar in one phrase is inverted in the following phrase ("The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.")

Asyndeton

The omission/absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence ("These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old")

Syndeton

A sentence style in which words/phrases/clauses are joined by conjunctions ("She gasped and screamed and cried.")

Synecdoche

When a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa ("I got some new wheels!" where "wheels" represents the whole car)

Metonymy

Using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is associated ("The pen is mightier than the sword" where "pen" refers to writing; "sword" refers to warfare/violence)

Anadiplosis

The repetition of the last word of a preceding clause ("Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon.")

Tautology

When the same thing is said twice but in different words ("It was adequate enough")

Parody

Imitating the style of a writer/artist/genre with exaggeration for comedic effect

Satire

Using humor, irony, exaggeration, etc. to expose something's stupidity or flaws

Malapropism

Mistakenly using a homophone in place of the correct word (saying "dance a flamingo" instead of "flamenco")

Non Sequitur

When one misses a part of one's reasoning, which invalidates one's conclusion ("My dog is named Max, and he likes to eat dog food. Therefore, everyone named Max likes to eat dog food." or "She's wearing red shoes--she must like strawberries.")

Zeugma

When a word applies to two others in different senses ("she broke his car and his heart")

Aphorism

A concise observation that contains a general truth ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it")

Cliché

A saying/expression so overused that it's become boring and unoriginal

Deus Ex Machina

An unexpected power/event saving a seemingly hopeless situation (a character falling off a cliff and a flying robot appearing out of nowhere to catch them)

Colloquialism

A non-formal or non-literary word used in ordinary conversation

Hyperbole

Non-literal, exaggerated statements/claims

Litotes

A phrase that uses negation to create an affirmative understatement ("he's not the smartest")

Antithesis

Something that is directly opposite of something else

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses (as in MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech)

Conceit

An extended metaphor in which a far-fetched comparison is made ("fit as a fiddle")

Catachresis

Using a word in a way that is not correct, for effect--often purposeful (referring to dead people in a graveyard as "inhabitants")

Syllogism

Reasoning where the conclusion is drawn (validly or not) from two linked premises (True: John is a man. All men are mortal. Therefore John is mortal. Faulty: Jane is a student. Students like to party. Therefore, Jane likes to party.)

Pedantic

Caring too much about unimportant rules or details

Didactic

Intended to teach, having moral instruction or patronization as an ulterior motive

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction ("pretty ugly")

Paradox

Seemingly absurd/self-contradictory statement that is actually well-founded ("less is more")

Invective

Insulting, abusive, or critical language

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses/sentences ("...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.")

Bildungsroman

A novel dealing with someone's formative/spiritual education (coming of age)

Denotation

The literal/primary meaning of a word

Connotation

An idea/feeling that a word invokes (in addition to its literal meaning)

Diction

The choice of words and phrases in speech or writing ("The professor relishes erudite conversations with his pupils" is classified as pedantic)

Epigraph

A short quote included at the beginning of a piece of writing

Epigram

A short, insightful thought on a subject expressed in a witty, humorous manner ("The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstein)

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that extends throughout multiple lines/paragraphs/stanzas

Inference

A conclusion based on evidence and reason (educated guess) (EX: "She's making herself a snack, so she must be hungry.")

Bureaucracy

A body of non-elected government officials (large organizations with centralized decision-making processes—like a school)

Apostrophe

When the speaker addresses someone who is not present or something inhuman (An actor turns away from the scene to address an absent entity)

Anastrophe

Rearranging the normal word order (e.g. verb before the subject of a sentence; “into the forest ran the deer.” AKA inverted sentence)

Claim of fact

An objectively verifiable assertion

Claim of policy

A proposal for action

Claim of value

The assignment of worth to an idea (e.g. grilled cheese is good)

Anachronism

A person, thing, or event placed in a historical time where it does not belong

In medias res

Into the middle of a narrative; without preamble

Didactic

Intended to teach a moral lesson or provide instruction

Levels of diction

Ways of speaking or writing (e.g. formal, informal, colloquial, slang)

Abstract diction

Using words to express something intangible, like an idea or an emotion (e.g. beautiful, freedom, love)

Concrete diction

Using words for their literal meanings (“I ate an apple.”)

The Enlightenment

An 18th-century European intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism (Descartes, Locke, Newton, Kant, Voltaire, Rousseau)

Altruism

Regard or devotion to the welfare of others

Coup d’état

A sudden, unlawful seizure of power from a government

Oligarchy

A small group of people having control over a nation or institution

Demagogue

Someone who uses popular prejudices/false claims to gain power (e.g. Senator McCarthy)

INDUCTIVE reasoning

Specific to general; evidence first, theory later (“every time I eat spicy food, my stomach hurts, so the conclusion is that spicy food causes my stomach to hurt”)

DEDUCTIVE reasoning

General to specific; theory first, evidence later (e.g. "All humans are mortal; Socrates is a human; therefore, Socrates is mortal.")