ap language terms

Diction

A writer's or speaker's choice of words

Imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

Tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

figurative language

Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

shift

change

detail

Facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in the work

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Connotation

an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told

Pacing

the movement of a literary piece from one point or one section to another

ad hominem

a fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute

Allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

Alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Apostrophe

a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction

Aphorism

A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.

Analogy

A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

Anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

anecdote

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

Antithesis

the direct opposite, a sharp contrast

Asyndeton

omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words

cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

Chiasmus

A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed

Colloquialism

a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

Conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.

cumulative sentence

sentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on

Denotation

The dictionary definition of a word

didactic

intended to teach

Ellipsis

three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation

Epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight

Epistrophe

the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

euphony

pleasant, harmonious sound

Ethos

Ethical appeal

Euphemism

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

Genre

A category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.

homily

This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Hyperbole

exaggeration

invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

Irony

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Litotes

A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite

Logos

Appeal to logic

Metaphor

A comparison without using like or as

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it

Motif

A recurring theme, subject or idea

non sequitur

something that does not logically follow

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it represents.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

Parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

Parody

A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion

pedantic

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

Personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes

Polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions

Repetition

Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis

Sarcasm

harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule

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.

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as"

Syllepsis/Zeugma

a construction in which one word is used in two different senses

Syllogism

A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

Symbol

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

Synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

Style

the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work

tautology

needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words; a redundancy

Understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.

epitaph

an inscription on a tombstone or burial place

elegy

a sad or mournful poem

eulogy

a formal speech praising a person who has died

Canon

accepted works of literary quality

Slant Rhyme/Near Rhyme

Rhyme that is similar but not exactly the same.

Consonance

Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.

Assonance

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity