Literary terms, language, and poetry

adage

a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth

allegory

a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict abstract ideas, hidden meanings, and themes (often moral or political)

alliteration

a series of words in quick succession that all start with the same letter or sound

allusion

passing or indirect descriptive reference to something

anachronism

an act of attributing a custom, event, or object to a period to which it does not belong

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of clauses or sentences, often in poetry and speeches

anastrophe

figure of speech wherein the traditional sentence is reversed

anthropomorphism

applying human traits or qualities to a non-human thing, such as objects, animals, or the weather

antithesis

two opposite ideas that are put together in a sentence for contrast

antonomasia

a descriptive word or phrase instead of a proper name

aphorism

an observation with a general truth, old saying, or memorable expression

apostrophe

when a character in a literary work speaks to an object, idea, or someone who doesn't exist as if it is a living person

appositive

a noun that immediately follows and renames another noun in order to clarify or classify it

archetype

a universal symbol or very typical example of something

aside

when a character speaks to the audience and not to the other characters

assonance

repetition of a vowel sound in a series of words or phrases

asyndeton

the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence

cacophony

a harsh discordant mixture of sounds

caesura

a stop or pause in a metrical line, marked by punctuation

chiasmus

when two or more parallel clauses are inverted; one sentence is regular, then the same is repeated but in reverse

colloquialism

the use of casual and informal language, including slang

comma splice

using a comma to link two independent clauses, which should instead be linked by a colon, semicolon, or conjunction

conceit

metaphors that create unique comparisons and describe unlikely situations

consonance

repetition of a consonant sound in a series of words or phrases

denouement

the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved

deus ex machina

an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation

dramatic irony

when the readers know more about the situation going on than at least one of the characters involved

epithet

an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned

ellipses

omitting a portion of the sequence of events, allowing the reader to fill in the narrative gaps; or omission in a sentence because it is implied

eponym

a name or noun formed after a person (such as for a place, invention, etc.)

euonym

a well-suited name for a person, place, or thing

euphemism

an indirect way of describing something that is inappropriate, awkward, blunt, etc.

euphony

the quality of being pleasing to the ear; a harmonious combination of words or sounds

exposition

description and background information that helps the reader understand the story

flashback

a scene that takes place before the present-day story; builds suspense and adds exposition

foreshadowing

when the author hints at events yet to come, creates suspense

gerund

a verb ending in -ing that is functioning as a noun

hyperbole

an exaggerated statement that emphasizes significance

hypophora

when a speaker asks a question and immediately answers it themselves

imperative

a sentence giving instructions, a command, an order, direction, or request

in medias res

Latin for "in the midst of things", starting a narrative without exposition

interjection

an abrupt remark made as an aside or interruption

interrogative

a sentence asking a question

jargon

special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand

juxtaposition

placing 2+ dissimilar things (characters, themes, etc.) side by side to contrast and highlight the differences

litote

stating a negative for emphasis; an understatement; a form of verbal irony

liturgy

a fixed set of ceremonies, words, etc. that are used during public worship in a religion

malapropism

misusing a word with a similar sounding one

metaphor

compares two things by saying one is the other

metonymy

a single object symbolizing an institution; serves as a synonym for a larger thing

motif

a recurrent symbol, concept, image, etc.

neologism

a newly coined word or expression

onomatopoeia

words that represents sounds

oxymoron

two contradictory words that describe one thing

paradox

"beyond belief", seemingly contradictory/illogical premises

pedantic

overly meticulous; excessively concerned with formalism, accuracy, and precision; one who makes an ostentatious and arrogant show of learning

personification

attributing human traits to nonhuman things

polysyndeton

using several conjunctions in succession

portmanteau

blending two words (like raji)

pun

a play on words; words with similar or identical sounds but with different meanings

repartee

conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies

satire

make fun of an aspect of human nature/society through exaggeration, ridicule, or irony

simile

comparing two things using like or as

soliloquy

when a character speaks their thoughts aloud (may be alone or with others); often a long speech for self reflection

synecdoche

the using of parts to represent a whole

synesthesia

an author's blending of human senses to describe an object

tmesis

"to cut", when a word or phrase is broken up by an interjecting word

zeugma

using one word to modify two others, in two different ways

zoomorphism

attributing animal traits to a nonanimal

formal language

full sentences, grammatically correct, less personal (more objective)

informal language

shorter sentences, includes contractions, abbreviations, and exclamation marks

colloquial language

conversational, casual communication used in daily life

vernacular language

the language spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region

dialect (language)

a particular form of a language that is specific to a region, often written in the way one speaks

acrostic

a poem in which the first letters of each line spell out a word or phrase

ballad (or ballade)

a form of narrative verse that can be with poetic or musical; typically follows a pattern of rhymed quatrains; represents a melodious form of storytelling

blank verse

poetry written with a precise meter (usually iambic pentameter) that does not rhyme

couplet

successive lines in poetry that rhyme and have the same meter

elegy

a poem that reflects upon death or loss; traditionally, it contains themes of mourning, loss, and reflection; it can also explore themes of redemption and consolation

enjambment

the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza

epic

a lengthy, narrative work of poetry; typically details extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past

free verse

poetry that lacks a consistent rhyme scheme, metrical pattern, or musical form

haiku

a three-line poetic form originating in Japan; 5-7-5 syllable pattern

limerick

a five-line poem that consists of a single stanza, an AABBA rhyme scheme, and whose subject is a short, pithy tale or description

lyric poetry

a broad category of poetry that concerns feelings and emotions; this distinguishes it from epics and dramatic poetry

narrative poetry

similar to an epic; a poem that tells a story

ode

a tribute to its subject; much like an elegy (although the subject does not need to be dead or sentient)

pastoral poetry

a poem that concerns the natural world, rural life, and landscapes

prose poetry

combines lyrical and metric elements of traditional poetry with idiomatic elements of prose, such as standard pronunciation and the lack of line breaks

quatrain

a stanza of four lines, especially one having alternate rhymes

rhymed poetry

a poem with a specific rhyme scheme

sonnet

a 14-line poem, typically about love; contains an internal rhyme scheme

stanza

a group of lines within a poem

tercet

poetic unit of three lines, rhymed or unrhymed; forms a stanza or a complete poem

villanelle

a 19-line poem consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with a highly specified internal rhyme scheme; initially a variation on a pastoral, it has evolved to describe obsessions and other intense subject matters

independent clause

a complete thought that can stand by itself

dependent clause

an incomplete, subordinate clause; relies on the rest of the sentence for meaning

simple sentence

one independent clause

compound sentence

two independent clauses, linked with a conjunction

complex sentence

one independent clause, one or more dependent clauses, and at least one subordinating conjunction