Tone Vocabulary and Stylistic Devices - Advanced English LK

Flashcards covering definitions and analytical applications of tone descriptors and rhetorical stylistic devices for Grade 12 Advanced English.

Stylistic Device

Techniques used by writers and speakers to convey meaning and enhance their message.

Figure of Speech

An expression that uses language in a non-literal way to create a particular effect.

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unrelated things, implying one is the other.

Simile

A comparison between two different things using "like" or "as."

Personification

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or abstract concepts.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis.

Understatement

A deliberate presentation of something as less significant than it is.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.

Paradox

A statement that appears contradictory but reveals a deeper truth.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent larger ideas or concepts.

Irony (Stylistic Device)

A contrast between expectation and reality, often highlighting a discrepancy.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work.

Apostrophe

A direct address to an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction.

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa.

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which one thing is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it.

Repetition

The intentional reiteration of words or phrases for emphasis.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which words or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

Climax

A figure of speech in which words or phrases are arranged in order of increasing importance.

Bathos

An abrupt transition from the lofty to the trivial or ridiculous.

Pun

A play on words that exploits multiple meanings for humorous or rhetorical effect.

Colloquialism

Informal language or expressions that are characteristic of a particular region or group.

Neutral Tone

A tone that presents the facts without emotional colouring.

Objective Tone

A tone that avoids personal judgement.

Matter-of-fact Tone

A tone that normalises a shocking event by presenting details straightforwardly.

Detached Tone

A tone that creates distance between the speaker and the subject or withholds empathy.

Benevolent Tone

A tone that conveys goodwill toward the audience.

Tongue-in-cheek Tone

A tone that signals irony beneath surface praise.

Melancholic Tone

A tone that lingers on regret and memory.

Somber Tone

A tone that slows the pacing and deepens gravity.

Confrontational Tone

A tone that challenges the reader directly.

Ironic Tone

A tone that says the opposite of what it means in order to expose hypocrisy.

Satirical Tone

A tone that criticises institutions via humour and exaggeration.

Sardonic Tone

A tone that blends dark humour with moral distance.

Didactic Tone

A tone that teaches principles and morals explicitly.

Solemn Tone

A tone that honours the subject with ritual dignity.

Confessional Tone

A tone that admits guilt or weakness.

Contemplative Tone

A tone that dwells on abstract questions.

Ominous Tone

A tone that signals danger through symbol and mood.

Patronising Tone

A tone that talks down to the audience.

Disillusioned Tone

A tone that abandons former ideals.

Understated Tone

A tone that relies on implication over declaration.

Incredulous Tone

A tone that flags claims as implausible.

Wistful Tone

A tone that yearns for unrealised possibilities.