AP Language and Lit Terms

rhetorical question

A question to which the answer is not sought/already known

non-sequitir

Something that does not logically follow what precedes it

extended metaphor

a metaphor that extends throughout the entire text

grammatical parallelism

Words that have the same grammatical structure/function

periodic sentence

a sentence begins, swings off to another topic, and then ends

paradox

something that seems false/impossible but is true

allegory

a story for which the characters represent ideas

epigraph

quotes at the beginning of texts that hint to its theme

apology

a formal defense of an idea in speech/writing

analogy

a comparison

metonymy

something represented by a term it connects to

synecdoche

when something is represented by a part of it

ad hominem

when a person’s character is attacked, and not their argument

red herring

a detail used to confuse/distract the reader

excluded middle

when 2 extreme options are presented with no middle groun d

firgurative language

language that goes beyond its literal meaning

abstract language

language describing the intangible

concrete language

language describing the tangible

irony

when the outcome does not match/equal expectation

verbal irony

when someone says something but means the opposite

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something the characters don’t

situational irony

when there is irony in a specific situation

syllogism

if A, if B, then C

panegyric

Formal praise in speech/writing

caricature

warped, exaggerated account/figure of someone

polemic

an attack in speech/writing

aphorism

wise statements containing truth

ellipsis

three dots indicating omission

exposition

a detialed explanation of an idea

inductive reasoning

reasoning from specific to general

deductive reasoning

reasoning from general to specific

straw man

an idea purposefully portrayed as weak so it is easy to attack

allusion

an indirect reference to somethingI

illusion

something that decieves

anecdote

a story, amusing story

ambiguity

the property of being understood in multiple ways

aesthetic

the beauty of a piece of writing

antithesis

a text offering a contrasting viewpoint

antecedent

something that precedes something else

understatement

when something is portrayed with less magnitude than it has

hyperbole

an exaggeration

antimetabole

the use of the same words in reverse order

tenor and vehicle

parts of a metaphor. T is the topic, and V is the weight of the metaphor

genre

a category of literature

connotation

the feeling a word invokesd

denotation

the dictionary definition of a word

in Medias Res

in the middle of the narrative

declarative sentence

a sentence that makes a statement

imperative sentencwe

makes a command

interrogatory sentence

asks a question

invective

rude, insulting language

persona

the way an author presents themselves

discourse

written/spoken communicarion

occasion

the specific time/place/context

refutation

a text disproving an argument

begging the question

assuming the truth of a conclusion without proof

encomium

a panegyric

narrative

a story

homily

religious discourse

axiom

a statement accepted as true without proof

ethos

the proof resides in the author. The author appeals in credibility to persuade the audiencel

logos

the proof resides in the text. The author uses evidence, argument, ideas, reasoning, and detail to persaude the audience

pathos

the proof resides in the audience. The author offers an appeal to the audience’s passions, or feelings, in an attempt to persaude the audience.

tautology

the unnecessarry repetition of ideas, words, or phrases

motif

a recurring literary element in a text that hints to the theme

memoir

an account of an author’s personal experiences

cliche

an overused word/phrase

parataxis

the use of phrases side by side without punctuation

verisimilitude

the appearance of being true/real

style

the author’s distinctive use of diction, word choice, and rhetorical strategies.

reduction ad absurdium

showing an idea is ridiculous by reducing it to a false, preposterous conclusion