English 10 honors language arts terms

Personification

A literary device where human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts, allowing readers to connect emotionally with the non-human elements.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating one thing is another, often enhancing the meaning or understanding of a concept.

Similie

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as," creating vivid imagery or understanding in writing.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, often used for emphasis or humorous effect.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive clauses or sentences, often used for emphasis in literature and rhetoric.

Ethos

A rhetorical appeal to credibility or character, often used to establish trust with an audience.

Logos

A rhetorical appeal to logic and reason, often relying on facts, statistics, and rational arguments to persuade an audience.

Dialogue

A conversation between two or more characters in a literary work, often used to reveal information, develop the plot, or convey themes.

Soliloquy

A dramatic monologue that reveals a character's inner thoughts and feelings, often delivered when the character is alone on stage.

Context

The circumstances or setting surrounding an event, statement, or idea, often influencing its meaning and understanding.

Pathos

a rhetorical appeal to emotion, aiming to persuade an audience through feelings.

Asyndeton

A rhetorical device that omits conjunctions between related clauses, creating a concise and impactful expression.

Polysyndeton

A rhetorical device that uses multiple conjunctions in close succession to achieve an artistic effect, often to create a sense of rhythm or emphasis.

Allegory

a narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey a deeper moral or political meaning.

Diadactic

intended to teach or instruct, often with a moral lesson.

Symbol

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

Theme

the central idea or message in a literary work.

Dramatic irony

A situation in which the audience knows more about the events of a story than the characters do, creating tension or humor.

Verbal irony

A figure of speech in which the intended meaning of words is different from the actual meaning; often involves sarcasm or understatement.

Thesis

A statement in an essay that presents the main argument or claim, guiding the direction of the writing.

Paradox

A statement that contradicts itself but may reveal a deeper truth. Paradoxes often challenge conventional thinking.

Protagonist

The main character in a story, often facing conflict and driving the plot forward.

Antagonist

a character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating conflict and driving the plot forward

Parallelism

a stylistic device that employs similar grammatical structures or patterns to express ideas of equal importance.

Ambiguity

the presence of unclear, equivocal, or uncertain meanings within a text, often intentionally used by authors to create multiple interpretations and encourage deeper engagement with the work

Connotation

refers to the emotional associations connected to a word beyond its literal definition

Denotation

cultural associations connected to a word beyond its literal definition

Allusion

a subtle or indirect reference to a person, place, event, or idea from history, literature, or culture

Stereotype

a widely held but oversimplified and often inaccurate representation of a person, group, or thing.

Rhetorical question

a figure of speech where a question is asked to make a point or create a dramatic effect, rather than to elicit an actual answer.

1st person narrator

the narrator is a character within the story, using "I" to tell the story from their perspective.

3rd person narrator

he story is told using "he," "she," or "they," rather than "I" or "we."

Omniscient Narrator

a narrative voice that possesses complete knowledge of the story's events, characters' thoughts and feelings, and the overall context.

Limited narrator

the story is told from the perspective of a single character, using third-person pronouns (he, she, they), but the narrator's knowledge is restricted to that character's thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Analogy

a literary device that compares two different things to highlight a specific point or create a deeper understanding of a concept.

Mood

refers to the emotional atmosphere or feeling that a piece of writing creates for the reader.

Sonnet

a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter, typically with a specific rhyme scheme and a volta, or turn, in thought

Alliteration

the repetition of beginning consonant sounds in multiple words in a single line, sentence, or phrase

Assonance

a literary device where vowel sounds within words are repeated in close proximity, creating a musical or rhyming effect.

Static character

a character who undergoes little to no change throughout the course of a story

Dynamic character

one that undergoes significant internal change throughout the course of a story.

Blank verse

poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter

Free verse

poetry that does not adhere to a set meter, rhyme scheme, or other traditional poetic structures

Tone

the author's attitude or feeling toward the subject matter, characters, or audience, which is conveyed through the language and style of writing.

Foreshadowing

a literary device where authors hint at future events in a story, creating suspense and anticipation for the reader

Author’s purpose

the reason they write a particular piece

Lyric poetry

a type of poetry that expresses personal emotions and feelings, often in a song-like manner

Rhetoric

the art of using language effectively to persuade, inform, or move an audience.

Imagery

the use of descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) to create vivid mental pictures and sensory experiences for the reader

Situational Irony

occurs when there's a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.