Higher Level Literacy Techniques

EPISTROPHE

• Repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses/sentences

ANAPHORA

• Repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses

CHIASMUS

• Phrase repeated in reverse order

CACOPHONY

• Mixture of harsh and inharmonious sounds

PARATAXIS

• The placing of clauses or phrases one after another, without words to indicate coordination or subordination "Veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered")

APOSTROPHE

• Figure of speech sometimes represented by an exclamation. reference to an inanimate object, sometimes God or some ethereal creature

ETHOS

• Convincing others through credibility of persuader

LOGOS

• Convincing others through logic/reason

PATHOS

• Experience of a situation that evokes pity/sympathy/sorrow

FOIL

• A character with qualities that contrast the qualities of another character to highlight these traits.

DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

• Short, punchy sentence - used for emphasis

HYPERBOLE

• Exaggeration used for rhetorical effect.

CONNOTATION

• A word that conjures up other meanings or sparks thoughts of something else

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

• A character's interior monologue: a continuous flow of thoughts going on in the character's mind

SEMANTIC FIELD

• A group of words connected by a shared meaning

DEIXIS

• Words that are context-bound where meaning depends on who is using them, and where and when they are being used

OXYMORON

• Language device where two opposite words or meanings are used side by side e.g. deafening silence

DIATRIBE

• An impassioned rant or angry speech of denunciation

PARODY

• The reducing of another text to ridicule by hostile imitation

PATHETIC FALLACY

• The use of setting, scenery or weather to mirror the mood of a human activity

SATIRE

• A destructive reduction of an idea, image, concept or text. It can employ exaggeration, mimicry, irony or tone

ASSONANCE

• The repeating of vowel sounds for aesthetic effect: 'low, close, clouds'.

SIBILANCE

• The aesthetic use of the hissing 's' sound; 'So many slights, so many sighs, so many sneers '

REPETEND

• A recurring word of phrase, not necessarily as formally arranged as a refrain

CATHARSIS

• An emotional release engendered by an intense experience

FRICATIVE

• Alliteration of 'f' sounds

PLOSIVE

• Alliteration of 'p' 'b' 'd' sounds

APOCOPE

• Omission of the final sound of the word 'cuppa tea’ (cup of tea)

SYNCOPE

• Omission of sound of letters in the middle of the word (o’er)

APHESIS

• Omission of sound/letter at the start of a word (t’was)

ISOCOLON

• Sentences in succession of equal length

SYNECDOCHE

• A phrase whereby a part is meant to represent a whole or vice versa

METONYM

• Something is referred to by one word, name, phrase e.g 'The Crown' represents the royal family

ANATACLASIS

• The repetition of a phrase/word but with different meanings

BINARY OPPOSITIONS

• Strictly defined, contrasting concepts (good against evil)