IB English Language and Literature glossary

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Allegory

A narrative that has two separate meanings

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is allegorical in telling the story of the Salem witch hunts while referring to McCarthyism in 1950s USA

Alliteration

Where two or more words begin with the same sound and occur in sequence

The tingle tongue taste of Gibbs SR in a 1940s toothpaste advertisement

Allusion

A reference to something completely separate from the text in which it appears
Example: MacNeice alludes to Hitler in his poem Prayer Before Birth 'Let not the man who is the beast or who thinks he is God come near me'

Ambiguity

When a word has a double meaning

Ambivalence

Having mixed feelings about something

Analogy

Illustrating the subject under discussion by making a parallel comparison

Anecdote

The recounting of a small incident to illustrate a point; sometimes humorous

Anthropomorphism

Talking or writing about animals as though they were human beings
The animals in George Orwell's novel, Animal Farm

Appeal

A text, usually part of a campaign, most often aiming to fund-raise
Alternatively term used to describe the different ways a speech appeals to an audience
Includes ethos, pathos and logos

Association of ideas

When one idea calls to mind another, often used in advertising

Assonance

Where two or more similar vowel sounds within words occur in sequence

Example: with wise lies lure me (Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice)

Atmosphere

A general way of describing mood

Bathos

Comic shift from something important to something unimportant
An abrupt transition in style from the exalted to the commonplace, producing a ludicrous effect
Occasionally used deliberately to produce a humorous effect
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant
The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't

Bias

Promoting one, specific point of view in a text and deliberately excluding others

Caricature

An exaggerated depiction of a person (exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others
In order to achieve a grotesque or ridiculous effect

Colloquial

Informal language; often specific to particular social, local or age-related groups

Comic exaggeration

Exaggeration for humorous effect

Commentary

Close detailed description of a literary or non-literary text. This can be either written or oral and in both cases structure as an essay

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds at the end of the word, often found in poetry and in advertisements

Conventions

The particular aspects of language us that typify a text type. They are the aspects of language use you would expect to find in a given test type
E.g. persuasive devices in an advertisement

Critique

A reasoned criticism of a piece of writing

Diction

Choice of vocabulary and phrases, for instance, can be conversational, rhetorical, formal or informal

Dissonance

The use of harsh-sounding, unusual, or impolite words in poetry to create a disturbing effect or to catch the reader's attention by interrupting a smooth flow of words. It is considered to be the opposite of assonance

Editorial

The article in a newspaper or journal which expresses the publication's opinions on the news

Emotive

Creating emotion in the reader, not simply describing emotion

Fable

A story with a moral, intending to teach a lesson.

Figurative language

Language that is not literal

Genre

The word used to describe a literary text type

Homonym

A word with more than one meaning, often used in puns. Example: Lead can describe a heavy metal and an object used for walking dogs

Homophone

A word that sounds the same as another word but is spelled differently
Mussel and muscle

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration
"I'm starving," when you are only slightly hungry

Imagery

Words that create a picture in the reader's mind, to make the thing described clearer or more vivid

Irony

Saying one thing and meaning another

Layout

The way a text is presented on a page (applies to media rather than literary texts)

Lexical set

In general, a group of words that share a specific form or meaning

Lexis

The complete stock of morphemes, idioms, and words possessed by a language - I.e. all the units off potential meaning

Lyrical

Song-like effect, expressing the ideas of the author in an imaginative and beautiful way

Metaphor

A comparison in which the thing being described is said to be something else to make the description more vivid

Monologue

A piece of writing which is meant to be spoken by (only) one person

Mood

The feeling that is created in a text

Motif

A recurring idea or image in a text

Narrative

A spoken or written account of connected events; a story

Narrative verse

The point of view in which the plot is narrated

Narrator

The person who tells the story

Onomatopoeia

Where a word sounds like the sound it is describing

Oxymoron

A description of something which appears to be its opposite, or impossible
Example: an open secret

Paradox

A statement which seems to be self-contradictory but upon reflection is logical
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly but may include a latent truth
Used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accept traditional ideas
Often used to make readers think over an idea in an innovative way
'What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.' - George Bernard Shaw

Parody

An imitation of a person intending to ridicule them

Pastoral

Describing a rural scene in an idealized, simple way; attribution idyllic qualities to the countryside and innocence to those who live there

Pathos

The part of speech that appeals to our emotions; use emotional language to evoke emotional response

Personification

Giving human characteristics to something which is not human
E.g. the sunlight danced on the rippling water

Persuasive language

Language used to encourage the reader to think or act in a particular way

Pun

A play on words

Rationale

A reasoned explanation of a text

Refrain

A repeated section, usually in poetry

Repetition

Saying or writing something more than once for a specific effect
Effective in creating a sense of structure and power

Rhetoric

The conventions of speaking for an audience

Satire

The ridicule of something the writer dislikes
A genre of literature, in which vices, follies, abuses and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.
It's greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit to draw attention to both particular and wider issues in society

Features: strong irony or sarcasm, parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy and double entendre

Sensationalize

Describing something in a exaggerated way to shock and engage the reader, frequently a characteristic of journalistic writing
A type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers
May include reporting abut generally insignificant matters and events that don't influence overall society and biased presentations of newsworthy topics in a trivial or tabloid manner contrary to the standards of professional journalism

Setting

Where and when the events of a story, play or poem take place

Simile

A comparison in which the thing being described is said to be like another in order to make it more vivid
Example: describing someone feeling unwell as 'as white as a sheet'

Stereotype

The attribution of certain characteristics to a specific group of people, often the product of prejudiced ideas

Structure

The organizing and ordering of ideas so that they are effective

Style

The feature that characterize a work, text, type, publication or writer

Symbol

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract

Syntax

Choice and organization of words in sentences

Tautology

Saying the same thing twice in different words, unnecessarily
Myself, I personally think

Text

Any verbal or visual production conveying meaning

Text type

The terms used to describe a non-literary genre

Theme

The underlying meaning or idea in a text

Tone

The character of a piece of writing, given to it by the voice of the narrator

Vernacular

The language of a local context

Work

A literary text

Jubilant

Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph

Exuberant

Full of energy, excitement and cheerfulness

Somber

Dark or dull in color or tone

Melancholy

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause

Bleak

Charmless and inhospitable
Cold and forbidding
Not hopeful or encouraging, unlikely to have a favorable outcome

Sinister

looking likely to cause something bad, harmful, or dangerous to happen

Flippant

Not showing a serious or respectful attitude

Tongue-in-cheek

Speaking or writing in an ironic or insincere way

Whimsical

Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way

Pithy

Vigorously expressive and terse (sparing in the use of words, abrupt)

Satirical

Sarcastic, critical, and mocking another's weaknesses

Satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues

Cynical

Believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrirty

Irreverent

Showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously

Assertive

Having or showing a confident and forceful personality

Dispassionate

Not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial

Poignant

Evoking a keen sense of sadness and regret

Mellow

Relaxed and good humored
Tempered by maturity or experience

Tranquil

Free from disturbance; calm

Stately

Impressive or grand in size, appearance or manner

Panoramic

A wide view surrounding the observer

Microcosmic

Encapsulating in miniature the characteristics of something much larger

Nostalgia

A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past

Sensuous

Relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect
Attractive or gratifying physically, especially sexually

Provocative

Causing anger or another strong reaction, especially deliberately
Intended to arouse sexual desire or interest

Resonant

Having the ability to evoke enduring images. memories or emotions

Elevated diction

Diction of a high intellectual or moral level and a high rank or social standing