IB English Vocab

Allusion

Reference to something from another form of media or piece of culture

Ambiguity

deliberately sugesting two or more different and/or conflicting meanings. Can be interpreted in different ways

Anthropomorphism

attributing human characteristics to animals

archetype

recurring symbol, character, landscape, or event in literature or myths across cultures & eras. Model to copy

Indirect characterization

Personality through speech, actions, appearence, etc.

Direct characterization

Personality though descriptions, phrases, epithets, etc.

Static Character

Doesn’t change or show capacity to

Dynamic character

changes or shows capacity to

Flat character

1-dimensional

Round character

developed personality w/ many traits

Connotation

associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase in addition to its dictionary definition

Dialect

way of speaking, characteristic to a social group or region

Diction

choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing

Foil

character who contrasts another

Foreshadowing

narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted

Hubris

extreme and unreasonable pride or self-confidence

Hyperbole

figure of speech that uses incredible exaggeration for effect

Metaphor

comparison of two things without using “like” or “as”

Irony

expression using language that normally signifies the opposite for humorous or emphatic effect. The contrast of expectation vs result of work.

Motif

recurring image, phrase, action, or situation. Ties situations together or ideas to the theme 

1st person pov

1 person tells the story (I, Me, We)

2nd person pov

narrator instructs reader (you, your)

3rd person Omniscient

all-knowing narrator tells story about many characters she, he, they)

3rd person Objective

Narrator tells story impersonally, focusing on 1 character (she, he, they)

Parable

simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson

Parody

imitation of style & manner of particular writer(s). Typically negative to call attention to or ridicule weakness or overused concepts.

Romanticism

artistic movement in writing that values emotion over logic

Satire

writing that ridicules shortcomings of ppl or institutions to bring change

Juxtaposition

poetic and rhetorical device. Unassociated words or phrases placed next to each other for surprise or wit

Tone

attitude of writer toward a subject, characters, or audience seen in diction, language, & organization

Unreliable Narrator

(un)intentional subjective and distorted telling of a story. Usually has early indication w/in work

Syntax

Manner in which words are arranged to form sentences

Syntactic Fluency

Ability to create a variety of sentence structures, complex and/or simple and varied in lenght

Parallel Structure

repetition of a form w/in a sentence to provide clarity. Can be simultaneous plot lines in texts.

Stereotype

assuming a group shares the same qualities due to ignorance or used for comedy

Style

way an author writes - their unique voice made of ton, word choice, grammar, etc.

Synecdoche

figure of speech using a part for the whole