Spanish Summer Work-Literary Terms

vocales

vocales

vowels

diptongo

diphthong, the combination of a strong vowel (a, o, e) with a weak vowel (i, u)

sinéresis

two strong vowels in the same syllable

sinalefa

blending two successive vowels into one syllable

llana

describes words in which the stressed syllable is the second to last

aguda

describes words in which the stressed syllable is the last

esdrújulas

describes words in which the stressed syllable is the third to last

tetrasílabo

four syllables per line

hexasílabo

six syllables per line

heptasílabo

seven syllables per line

octosílabo

eight syllables per line

eneasílabo

nine syllables per line

decasílabo

ten syllables per line

endecasílabo

eleven syllables per line

dodecasílabo

twelve syllables per line

alejandrino

fourteen syllables per line

hipérbole

hyperbole, exaggeration

prosopopeya

personification, giving human characteristics to non-human objects

aliteración

alliteration, repetition of the same sound or group of sounds

anáfora

anaphora, repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of two or more verses or sentences

antítesis

antithesis, expression of contradictory ideas in similar phrases

aparte

aside, technical theater term to communicate to the audience certain things that the other characters should not know

apóstrofe

apostrophe, a passage addressing a person or thing as if it could respond

arquetipo

archetype, a typical example or symbol of something, a model of behavior

arte mayor

verses with more than eight syllables

arte menor

verses with eight syllables or less

asíndeton

asyndeton, omission of a conjunction between parts of a sentence

carpe diem

life is short and should be appreciated

cesura

caesura, a pause in the middle of a line

clímax

climax, most intense point of action in the plot

elipsis

ellipsis, omission of elements of a sentence

encabalgamiento

enjambment, continuation of a thought from one verse to the next

epopeya

epic poetry, poetry in an elevated style describing a historic or legendary hero

epíteto

epithet, addition of adjectives that are not necessary, but emphasize a certain characteristic of a thing

estribillo

refrain, line or lines that are repeated throughout a poem

estrofa

stanza

estructura

structure, the framework of a literary work

exposición

exposition, the beginning of a work in which the characters and premise are introduced

hamartia

tragic flaw, weakness of a tragic hero that leads him to catastrophe

hipérbaton

hyperbaton, alteration to the typical order of words in a sentence

imagen

image, literal or figurative representation of an object or sensory experience, mental image

in media res

beginning in the middle of the action rather than before

metáfora

metaphor, a comparison between objects in which one object is typically symbolic of another

metonimia

metonymy, substitution of a word for the idea meant

onomatopeya

onomatopoeia, use of words to imitate a sound

paradoja

paradox, union of apparently irreconcilable ideas

pareado

couplet, stanza of two lines

parodia

parody, exaggerated imitation of something for comic effect

prefiguración

foreshadowing, indication of events to come

realismo mágico

magical realism, magical elements in a realistic setting

rima asonante

assonance, type of rhyme in which only the vowels rhyme

rima consonante

consonance, rhyme in which the last sounds rhyme

simbolo

symbol, use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea

símil

simile, comparison between two objects using like or as

sinécdoque

synecdoche, substituting the name of an object for another related object, typically used to give an object a more general name

soneto

sonnet, poetic composition of fourteen lines

tema

theme

tono

tone, attitude of the author towards the material

alegoría

allegory, story interpreted to reveal a deeper meaning

copla

couplet, two lines of verse joined into one unit

figuras retóricas

rhetorical figure, language device used by a writer to prompt the reader to consider the meaning from a different perspective

hemistiquio

hemistich, half a line of verse preceded or followed by a caesura, sometimes used to indicate tension or suspense

justicia poética

poetic justice, device in which a character is punished or rewarded based on their actions, often by fate

metro

meter, rhythmic structure of verse

retruécano

pun, play on words involving words that sound similar or a word with multiple meanings

octava

octave, verse consisting of eight lines

polifonía

polyphony, aspect of narrative involving multiple perspectives

oda

ode, lyric poem addressing a particular subject, often elevated in style

polisíndeton

polysyndeton, repetition of conjunctions

pregunta retórica

rhetorical question, question posed for effect and not intended to be answered

ritmo

rhythm, pattern of language

serventesio

stanza of four verses of more than eight syllables with consonance, usually with a rhyme scheme ABAB

apología

eulogy, speech in defense or praise of a person or ideology

caricatura

caricature, work that ridicules the example it is about

cromatismo

the use of a set or range of colors to represent ideas or emotions

desdoblamiento

formation of two or more things through the separation of components that tend to be together, such as the manifestation of two or more personalities

leitmotiv

leading motif, repetition of a word, phrase, situation, or concept in a work

metaficción

metafiction, fiction in which the author breaks the illusion of reality in a work by referring to the artificiality of the work

sátira

satire, a literary work whose purpose is to ridicule the subject

narrativa epistolar

epistolary novel, a work in the form of written letters from one or multiple characters

narrador fidedigno

reliable narrator, narrator whose understanding of the characters or the actions in the story accredit it to tell the facts

narrador no fidedigno

unreliable narrator, narrator who misinterprets the motives or action of the characters or who does no perceive the connections between the facts of the story, creating a discrepancy between the author and the narrator because the narrator is offering inconsistent information

narrador testigo

witness, narrator who does not participate in the action of the story but relates the facts in first person and makes commentary

narratario

the person at whom the narrator directs the text

parábola

parable, a short educational story whose action is applicable to another situation

diéresis

diaeresis, pronunciation of vowels in a diphthong in separate syllables

hiato

hiatus, separation of a sinalefa

verso blanco

blank verse, verse that does not have any kind of rhyme with any other verse, appears in poems with a regular metric rhyme scheme

verso libre

free verse, verso that does not have any rhyme or metric pattern

polimetría

polymetric, use of distinct metric forms in a single poem

silva

silva meter, combines verses of seven and eleven syllables

anagnórisis

anagnorisis, moment at which a character makes an important discovery or understands something about himself, human nature, or his situation

catarsis

catharsis, feeling of purification or liberation prompted by some experience

falla trágica

tragic flaw, fatal error of the protagonist in a work that causes an irreparable harm

pathos

in a Greek tragedy, the affection that inclines the audience towards the tragic character

tres unidades

theatrical rule that there is only one principal action, that the action does not last more than one day, and that all of the action takes place in the same place

cacofonía

cacophony, use of words that combine unpleasant sounds

sinestesia

synthesthesia, description of a sensation or image by means of sensations perceived by the five senses

conceptismo

conceptism, literary movement associated with the Spanish baroque period that is characterized by the use of word play, paradoxes, acuteness of thoughts, and concision in expression

culteranismo

Gongorism, Spanish literary style from the end of the 16th century and the 17th century, characterized by the excessive wealth of surprising metaphors, the exaggerated use of jargon, and syntactic complexity