OAE English Language Arts 020

stanza

A group of lines in a poem

lyric vs. narrative poem

lyric -- does not tell a story/expresses the personal feelings, observations, or thoughts of a speaker

narrative -- poem that tells story

sonnet

a 14 line poem containing 3 quatrains and 1 couplet

quatrain

A four line stanza

cinquain

a poem with 5 lines that contains a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern

haiku

3 unrhymed lines (5, 7, 5) usually focusing on nature

limerick

a silly, nonsense poem with 5 lines in a AABBA rhyme scheme

proverb

a short traditional saying that expresses wisdom

concrete poem

a poem in which the words are arranged to create a picture that relates to the content of the poem

ode

A poem in praise of something divine or noble; usually serious in tone

Denotative

Dictionary definition

Connotative

The ideas or concepts a word suggests in addition to its literal definition.

Reading Comprehension Strategies

Understanding what you have read by making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, synthesizing and metacognition.

Literal Comprehension

The lowest level of understanding. It involves reading the lines and understanding exactly what is on the page. Students can repeat or paraphrase what they have read.

Inferential Comprehension

Understanding of information that isn't explicitly given, but rather implied in a written passage. (make predictions)

Evaluative Comprehension

Ability to use critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and aesthetic considerations to evaluate a text.

Appreciative Comprehension

Considering the author's purpose for writing the text. You may not "like" classical music, but can you appreciate the skill, talent, and years of training of the musicians or composer?

Stylistic Text Features

Figurative Language to Text Style

Informational Text

Nonfiction written primarily to convey factual information. Informational texts comprise the majority of printed material adults read (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, reports, directions, brochures, technical manuals).

Persuasive Text

Writing to present an argument or point of view; editorials, propaganda, advertisement.

Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices are common, such as saying language is a living beast: that's a metaphor — one of the most common rhetorical devices. Another is alliteration, like saying "bees behave badly in Boston." Rhetorical devices go beyond the meaning of words to create effects that are creative and imaginative, adding literary quality to writing.

Drama Characteristics

Highly emotional, usually focuses on humans and involves a "crisis of feeling" - a painful or harmful experience.

Poetry Characteristics

Figurative language, meter, sound, imagery, format.

Meter

Beat or Rhythm in Poetry

Iamb

Unstressed, Stressed

Trochee

Stressed, Unstressed

Anapest

Unstressed, Unstressed, Stressed

Dactyl

Stressed, Unstressed, Unstressed

Phonemes

In a language or dialect, this is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances.

Allophones

The subtle variations of phonemes that occur as a result of contextual influences on how phonemes are produced in different words

Rhetoric

The art or study of persuasion through speaking or writing; language that is elaborate or pretentious but actually empty, meaning little

Structural Elements

Exposition, Climax, Meter, Stanzas

Sound Devices

elements such as rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, and onomatopoeia - gives poetry a musical quality.

Open Ended Question

Gives the interviewee a measure of control over the interview. Allows interviewees to select their answer.

Effective Modifiers

Adjectives & Adverbs

Informative/Explanatory Writing

writing that conveys information accurately in order to increase readers' knowledge of a subject, to help readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with enhanced comprehension of a concept.

Expository Writing

a type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform.

Organization Ideas: Cause & Effect, Problem & Solution, Chronological Order

Persuasive Writing

Writing in which the author wants to convince readers to agree with the author's opinions. To accomplish this, the writer must first make the issues clear to the reader and then provide incidents and facts to support his or her opinion. Examples: campaign speeches, debates, etc.

Listening Barriers

Factors that interfere with our ability to comprehend information and respond appropriately.

Cultural Differences

Factors such as age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, etc.

Personal Biases

Preferences developed through life experiences that alter objective decision making and make it difficult to think critically.

Closed Minded Biases

Difficult to interact with.

Interpersonal vs. Intrapersonal Communications

interpersonal -- Exchange of information between two persons or among persons

interpersonal -- Communication that occurs within yourself, including your thoughts and emotions.

Consonant Digraphs

Two consonant letters that together stand for a single sound (sh, th, wh).

Decoding

Decoding is the ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly pronounce written words.

Root Word

The form of a word after all affixes are removed, the base component of a term which gives it a meaning that may be modified by other components.

Base Word

Can stand alone. It is a complete word all by itself, although other word parts may be added to it to make new words.

Metaphorically

Symbolically; figuratively

Reading Process

What good readers do before, during, and after reading. Good readers are active as they read. By following the steps of the Reading Process, your comprehension and attention will increase.

Modes of Writing

Narration, description, persuade, exposition, research writing, response to literature, writing for assessment, and workplace writing.

Listening Strategies

Listening for organizing cues, listening for verbal and nonverbal cues, listening for main ideas and relevant supporting ideas, questioning for clarification, seeking and using feedback, applying memory strategies, and taking notes?

Atmosphere

The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the _____. Frequently _____ foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create a mood.

Figure of speech

A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Could include apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, understatement.

Irony/Ironic

The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. _____ is often used to create poignancy or humor. In general, there are three major types of _____ used in language: (1) verbal _____ - when the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) meaning

(2) situational _____ - when events turn out the opposite of what was expected; when what the characters and readers think ought to happen is not what does happen

(3) dramatic _____ - when facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.

Litotes

A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite. _____ is the opposite of hyperbole. Examples: "Not a bad idea," "Not many," "It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain" (Salinger, Catcher in the Rye).

Metonymy

A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," _____ is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example, a news release that claims "the White House declared" rather than "the President declared" is using metonymy; Shakespeare uses it to signify the male and female sexes in As You Like It: "doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat." The substituted term generally carries a more potent emotional impact.

Archetype

A detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response

Clause

A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main ______ expresses complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate ______, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent _____. The point that you want to consider is the question or what or why the author subordinates one element should also become aware of making effective use of subordination in your own writing.

Inference/Infer

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. When a multiple choice asks for an _________ to be drawn from a passage, the most direct, most reasonable _________ is the safest answer choice. If an __________ is implausible, it is unlikely to be the correct answeer. Note that if the answer choice is directly stated, it is not ______ed and it is wrong. You must be careful to note the connotation-negative or positive- of the choices.

Loose Sentence/Non-Periodic Sentence

A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. If a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentence. A work containing many _____ ________s often seems informal, relaxed, or conversational. Generally, _____ ________s create loose style. The opposite of a _____ ________ is the periodic sentence.

Example: I arrived at the San Diego airport after a long, bumpy ride and multiple delays.

Could stop at: I arrived at the San Diego airport.

Subject Complement

The word (with any accompanying phrases) or clause that follows a linking verb and complements, or completes the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it(the predicative nominative) or (2) describing it (the predicate adjective). These are defined below:

1) The predicate nominative- a noun, group of nouns, or noun clause that renames the subject. It, like the predicate adjective, follows a linking verb and is located in the predicate of the sentence.

Example: Julia Roberts is a movie star.

movie star= predicate nominative, as it renames the subject, Julia Roberts

2) The predicate adjective- an adjective, a group of adjectives, or adjective clause that follows a linking verb. It is in the predicate of the sentence, and modifies, or describes, the subject.

Example: Warren remained optimistic.

optimistic= predicate adjective, as it modifies the subject, Warren

Subordinate Clause

Like all clauses, this word group contains both a subjec and a verb (plus any accompanying phrases or modifiers), but unlike independent clauses, the ___________ ______ cannot stand alone; it does not express a complete thought. The ___________ ______ depends on a main clause (or independent clause) to complete its meaning. Easily recognized key words and phrases usually begin these clauses. For example: although, because, unless, if, even though, since, as soon as, while, who, when, where, how, and that.

Example: Yellowstone is a national park in the West 'that is known for its geysers'.

Parenthesed phrase= ___________ ______

Synechdoche

A figure of speech in which a part of something us used to represent the whorle, or occassionally, the whole is used to represent a part. Examples: To refer to a boat as a "sail"; to refer to a car as "wheels"; to referr to the violins, violas, etc. in an orchestra as "the strings". **Different tan metynomy, in whcih one thing is represented by another thing that is commonly physically associated withi it (but is not necessarily part of it), i.e., regerring to a monarch as "the crown" or the President as "The White House".

Wit

In modern usage, intllectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A ___ty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speakers verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. ___ usually uses terse language that makes a pointed statement. Historically, ___ originally meant basic understanding. Its meaning evolved to include speed of understanding, and finally, it grew to mean quick perception including creating fancy and a quick tongue to articulate an answer that demanded the same quick perception.

RHETORICAL STRATEGIES

Any tools used by the author to make his/her point more convincing. Rhetorical strategies help the author to make his claim (Logos) more convincing by appealing to Pathos and Ethos.

Assertion/claim (noun)/ assert (verb)

Assertions are opinions stated as facts—the basis of all arguments. Assertions are always arguable. Another word for an assertion that controls an argument is claim."America has long had a love affair with violence and guns"(x). Canada begins his book by claiming, or asserting that an important part of America's experience has been their love of violence and guns.

Qualification (noun)

to modify, restrict or limit. A qualification of an assertion or claim means that you agree in part, or you wish to redefine or reshape the assertion. If you were asked your opinion of Canada's assertion, or claim, you might agree that guns have held an important place in the defense of America, but that "love affair" is too strong a term to describe Americans' feelings for guns. So you would express your opinion as a qualification of Canada's argument: while it is true that guns have played an important part in American history, the reason is not Americans' love for guns but rather their desire for safety and security.

Speaker's Stance

a "stance" is a position, where you stand on an issue. You might, for example, disagree with Bush's stance on Iraq and believe instead that we should withdraw our troops. That belief, then, would be your stance.

Rebuttal/Refutation(nouns) rebut/refute (verbs)

an opposing argument; a contradiction. To prove an argument wrong.

Recapitulate

to repeat briefly; to summarize. Often when you write an argument essay or give a speech, you recapitulate, or sum up your points, in your conclusion. After describing his experience as a teacher with some difficult students (Ch. 4), Canada recapitulates by comparing these students to those he had grown up with in the Bronx and restating his claim that "Violence is a learned response"(28).

Appeals to authority

using the endorsement , approval or voice of an authority to make an argument seem more convincing. When students voice their opinions in a synthesis essay, they often quote from authority figures to support their opinions.

Litotes (understatement)

deliberately representing something as less than it is in order to create a particular effect. Canada relates an incident which begins with the claiming of a basketball and escalates into the confrontation of a man with a gun. He watches as the older boys reach for their knives and face down an opponent who has a much more powerful weapon. Later, when Geoffrey wants to talk about this incident, Mike and Junior deliberately understate the severity of what happened: '"He was an *******. Forget it."'(42). Their use of litotes or understatement is meant to teach an important lesson: you must keep your emotions under control in order to survive on the streets

Doublespeak

language used to distort and manipulate rather than to communicate. "Not doing so well" instead of very sick or injured

Ethnocentric

The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own group and culture.

Jargon

refers to a specialized language providing a shorthand method of quick communication between people in the same field. The basis of assessment for Schedule D Case I and II, other than commencement and cessation, is what is termed a previous year basis. (legal jargon)

Lending Credence

In arguing her point, a writer or speaker should always give the opponent some credit for his / her ideas.

Logical Fallacies

methods of pseudo-reasoning that may occur accidentally or may be intentionally contrived to lend plausibility to an unsound argument.

Parallel syntactic structures

using the same part of speech or syntactic structure in (1) each element of a series, (2) before and after coordinating conjunctions (and, but, yet, or, for, nor), and (3) after each of a pair of correlative conjunctions (not only...but also, neither...nor, both...and, etc.). Below are examples for definitions (1) and (3):Over the hill, through the woods, and to grandmother's house we go. (3) That vegetable is both rich in vitamins and low in calories.

Antithesis

the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by phrase, clause, or paragraphs. "To be or not to be . . ." "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times . . ." "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country . . ."

Oxymoron

From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," ___ is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms. Simple examples include "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness."

Sarcasm

from the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," ___ involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device.

Synecdoche

. a figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole. "All hands on deck" is an example.

Anaphora

repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent.

Euphony

the pleasant, mellifluous presentation of sounds in a literary work.

Theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually, __ is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the __ may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing.

Metonomy

a term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name" __ is a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example: a news release that claims "The White House declared" rather than "The President declared"

Paradox

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

Transition

a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph.

Onomatopoeia

a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum.

Begging the Question

Often called circular reasoning, __ occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim.

Invective

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

Understatement

the opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended.

Either-or reasoning

When the writer reduces an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignores any alternatives.

Homily

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

Pedantic

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

Causal Relationship

In __, a writer asserts that one thing results from another. To show how one thing produces or brings about another is often relevant in establishing a logical argument.

Equivocation

When a writer uses the same term in two different senses in an argument.

Imagery

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. On a physical level, __ uses terms related to the five senses; we refer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory. For example, a rose may present visual __ while also representing the color in a woman's cheeks.

Euphemism

a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. "He went to his final reward" is a common __ for "he died." They are also used to obscure the reality of the situation.

Figure of Speech

A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Examples are apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonomy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and understatement.