AP Lang Vocab Quiz 2

Analogy

an extended comparison between two things that are alike in key ways, used to explain a complex or unfamiliar idea

Connotation

the emotional, cultural, or social association a word carries beyond its dictionary definition

Allusion

a writer's brief, unexplained reference to a well-known person, event, or text (historical, literary, biblical, cultural) that borrows the audience's existing associations with it to deepen meaning and strengthen an argument.

Anecdote

a brief, specific story about a real person or event that a writer uses as evidence to illustrate a claim, humanize an abstract issue, and appeal to the audience's emotions (pathos) in service of the rhetorical purpose.

Antithesis

a rhetorical device that places two opposing ideas in parallel grammatical structure within a sentence or passage, sharpening the contrast for emphasis

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Didactic

the primary

aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles

Pervasive

existing in or spreading through every part of something

Irony

when there is a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is said and what is meant

Deductive Reasoning

a way of thinking that starts with a general idea or principle and moves to a specific conclusion

Colloquial

the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech