English Finals Vocab

Ethical Appeal (Ethos)

Ethical Appeal (Ethos)

used to establish the writer as fair, open-minded, honest, and knowledgeable about the subject matter

Emotional Appeal (Pathos)

an effort to win an argument without facts, logic, or reason, but instead by manipulating the emotions of the audience.

Logical Appeal (Logos)

the strategic use of logic, claims, and evidence to convince an audience of a certain point.

Diction

word choice

syntax

word order

tone

a style or manner of expression in speaking or writing

mood

the emotion response that a writer wants to give the reader

personification

the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

metaphor

a comparison not using like or as

simile

a comparison using like or as

parallelism

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

juxtaposition

placement of two things closely together - usually side by side - to emphasize similarities of differences

Antitheses

the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences

Oxymoron

paradoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another

Colloquial Language

casual and conversational

Rhetorical Questions

figure of speech in the form of a question posed for rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of receiving and answer

alliteration

the repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in a sequence

allusion

brief reference to a person, event, place, or work of art

Archaic diction

old-fashioned or outdated word choice

inversion

inverted order of words in a sentence

zuegma

when a verb or adjective modifies two or more nouns

anaphora

repetition of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses

asyndeton

no conjunctions

polysyndeton

repeated conjunctions

epistrophe

repetition at the end of a clause

Obdurate

(adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action

Eshew(ed)

(verb) deliberately avoid using; abstain from

Recalcitrant

(adj.) having a highly uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

Truculence

(adj.) fierce; cruel; brutal: aggressively ready to fight

Preconception

(noun) an opinion formed before hand; bias

Proliferation

(noun) a rapid and excessive spread or increase

Ubiquitous

(adj.) existing everywhere, especially at the same time

Parched

(verb) to make extremely, excessively, or completely dry; thirsty

Brash

(adj.) hasty, rash, tactless

Indignant

(adj.) feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust or offensive

Innocuous

(adj.) harmless

Gaffe

(noun) a mistake causing embarrassment to its originator

Dissident

(adj.) one who opposes official policy

Largesse

(noun) generous gift giving

Zealous

(adj.) active, devoted, or diligent; enthusiastic and passionate

Epitome

(noun) a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

Squabble

(verb) to engage in a petty argument

Anatomist

(noun) a specialist in anatomy – from back in the day – like the first medical scientists who began to explore the (anatomy) organs of the human body

Compunction

(noun) feeling guilty; a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety caused by regret for doing wrong

Angst

(noun) a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish

Introspective

(adj.) the act or process of looking into oneself

Superficiality

(noun) shallow, someone who does not consider ideas deeply

Perilous

(adj.) involving grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous

Flippant

(adj.) frivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking seriousness

Reverent

(adj.) feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by deep respect

Ribald

(adj.) vulgar or indecent; a comment that is inappropriate in most cases

Disgruntled

(adj.) displeased and discontented

Colloquial

(adj.) This word is used to describe conversational language of a certain area of a country or state or region

extended metaphor

a methaphor in a literary work, such as a novel or a poem, that isn’t just used in one line but is extended over multiple lines or throughout the work

what is an active verb

a verb that reveals action. they are considered strong verbs because they often bring imagery to the reader

philosophical

characterized by the attitude of a philosopher - specifically : calm or unflinching in the face of trouble, defeat, or loss

Chiasmus

(noun) a rhetorical or literary work where words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form:

Denotation

(n) primary meaning of a word – NOT the implied meaning

Loose sentence

a sentence structure in which the main clause is followed by one or more coordinate or subordinate phrases and clauses

periodic sentence

a sentence structure where the main clause is at the END