high level language techniques

aporia, aporetic

rhetorical use of doubt

anaphora, anaphoric

repitition of words at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses

allusion, alludes, allusive

referering to existing works of literature, historical events or famous figures

archaism, archaic

a word that is old and not in current mainstream use

chiasmus, chiastic

a sequence of two phrases/clauses which are similar in syntax but in reverse order

comic relief

insertion of comedic characters, lines, or moments into an otherwise serious narrative

connotation/denotation, connotes/denotes, connotative/denotative

connotation: the range of secondary or associated meaning/feelings

denotation: something's primary meaning

dead metaphor

metaphor that has become so commonly used that people ceased to consider it a metaphor

didacticism, didactic

an approach to literature that prioritises teaching the reader something

elegy, elegise, elagaic

traditionally refers to poems written in elegiac meter -- nowadays more commonly used to refer to texts dealing with loss and/or change

ethos logos and pathos, ethical logical and pathetic

ethos: appeal to authority or credibility of the wrier

logos: appeal to logic

pathos: appeal to emotions of the reader

euphemism, euphemise, euphemistic

word or phrase that is 'friendlier' replacing one that might be considered unpleasent

euphony/cacophany, euphoious/cacophonous

euphony: quality of being pleasing to the ear

caophony: opposite, language choice is designed to be unpleasant or discordant

hypotyposis, hypotypical

technique where a writer creates a realistic, vivid description of a scene

invective (n/adj)

abusive or insulting language

isocolon, isocolic

rhetorical device in which successive phrases employs similar grammatical structures for a specific effect

kenning

two-word phrase that stands for a single noun in poetry

malapropism, malapropian

mistaken use of a word in place of another similar-sounding word

melodrama, melodramatic

an over-the-top, style of storytelling that features exaggerated characters and sensationalistic events

metonymy, metonymic

a word/phrase where a literal term for one thing is applied to another with which it has become closely associated due to a common relationship

ode

traditionally a long lyric poem that is serious in subject and elevated in style and structure -- nowadays used to describe a a serious piece that is designed to celebrate some subject

paradox, paradoxical

statement that is seemingly contradictory or impossible but contains good wisdom upon closer inspection

parataxis, paratactic

placing of phrases or clauses one after another without coordinating or subordinating conjunctions to indicate relationship between the parts

pastoral (n/adj), pastoralise

traditionally a poem that describes a nostalgic, idyllic vision of rural/farming life -- nowadays used to describe any idealised representation of rural life

pathetic fallacy

moments in literature where the natural world/weather is depicted in a way that reinforces human emotion

refrain

word, phrase or clause that is repeated throughout a poem, often at the end

satire, satirise, satirical

mode of literature in which author uses hyperbole for the purpose of criticising people, institutions or humanity generally

sentimentalism, sentimentality, sentimentalise, sentimental

over-the-top emotion tone, referring to moments where emotional response feels unearned or inappropriate to the moment

soliloquy, soliloquise, soliloquent

moment in a text where a character speaks to themselves, aloud or silently

stock characters

conventional, cliche character types that appear repeatedly in a specific type of literature

stream of consciousness (n/adj)

a narrative style in which the writer aims to reflect the style of the human conscience

the sublime, sublime

refers to moment in literature that achieve some sort of artistic moment of transcendence/greatness, leaving readers shaken in some way by beauty and forces to consider the scope, grandeur or quality of the text

synecdoche, synedochical

literary technique where a part of something is used to represent the whole

synesthesia, synesthetic

moments in literature where one sense is evoked by reference to another sense

tautology, tautologise, tautological

a phrase or clause that repeats the same idea through different words