Ap Lang Semester Exam Notes

Speaker

The S in SPACECAT. The voice or perspective that conveys the message of a poem, short story, or prose narrative.

Purpose

The P in SPACECAT. The reason an author is writing a text.

Audience

The 1st A in SPACECAT. The group of people that an author writes their work for, or the intended readers.

Context

The 1st C in SPACECAT. The circumstances and setting in which a piece of writing is created and read, and the information that provides clarity and meaning to the writing.

Exigence

The E in SPACECAT. The situation or problem that compels someone to make an argument.

Choices

The 2nd C in SPACECAT. Linguistic tools used by the author to make arguments more compelling and persuasive.

Appeals

The 2nd A in SPACECAT. Ethos, Pathos, Logos.

Tone

The T in SPACECAT. The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation.

Allegory

A narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey a deeper moral or political meaning. Ex: George Orwell's "Animal Farm."

Didactic

Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive. Ex: Aesops Fables

Dramatic Irony

A literary device where the audience knows something that the characters do not. Ex:the audience knowing Juliet is asleep while Romeo Does not

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, event, or work outside the text. Ex: referencing a biblical tale

Elegiac

A work that expresses sorrow or lamentation, often about a death. Ex: a funeral speech

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth. Ex: "Less is more."

ambiguity

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation. Ex: the ending of the movie Inception

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses. Ex:"I want the best, and we need the best, and we deserve the best."

pedantic

Excessively concerned with minor details or rules; overly academic. Ex: a teacher who focuses on trivial points rather than the overall lesson.

analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. Ex:"Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."

euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt. Ex:"passed away" instead of "died."

personification

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or inanimate objects. Ex:"The wind whispered through the trees."

anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Ex:"I have a dream" in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech.

euphony:

The quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words. Ex: The poem Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Polysyndeton

The use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where they are not strictly necessary. Ex:"We have ships and men and money and stores."

anecdote

A short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. Ex: Johann Hari telling us about his totally real godson’s phone addiction at Graceland.

extended metaphor

A metaphor that is developed over several lines or throughout a work. Ex: “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

antithesis

A rhetorical device that contrasts opposing ideas in a balanced way. Ex:"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates visual representations in the mind. Ex:The golden sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting a warm glow on the forest floor.

repetition

The deliberate use of the same word or phrase multiple times to emphasize a point. Ex: They not like us, they not like us, they not like us.

assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Ex:"go with the flow" (repeating "o" sound).

juxtaposition

The act of placing two elements close together to highlight their differences. Ex: All's fair in love and war.

Ad hominem

A logical fallacy that attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself.

‘either/or'

A logical fallacy that presents two options as the only possible choices.

bandwagon

A fallacy that suggests one must accept a particular view or action because everyone else does.

hasty generalization

A fallacy in which a conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence.

red herring

A fallacy that introduces an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the main issue.

slippery slope

A fallacy that suggests a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events resulting in some significant impact.

straw man

A fallacy that misrepresents an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.

begging the question/circular reasoning

A fallacy in which the premise assumes the truth of the conclusion instead of supporting it.

non sequitur

A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

Appeals to False Authority

A claim is accepted as true because an authority figure says it is, even though the authority figure is not qualified.

Active voice

asserts that the subject performs the action

Passive Voice

indicates that the subject receives the action.

Narrative Non Fiction

Narrative structure, utilizes elements of fiction. Ex: Columbine

Argumentative Non Fiction

Single argument structure, introduction is important. Ex: Stolen Focus

Rhetorical

Asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information. Ex: “Isn’t it obvious?”

Cacophony

A combination of words or phrases that sound harsh, unpleasant, or jarring Ex: “With throats unslaked, with black lips baked,  Agape they heard me call: Gramercy!”

Litotes

A literary device that uses understatement to convey meaning, often through the use of negative words like "no" or "not" Ex: “My car was not cheap.”

Simile

A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind. Uses “like” or “as” Ex: Her smile is as bright as the sun

Chiasmus

Words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form. Ex:“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Loaded Language

Uses words and phrases to influence an audience by appealing to their emotions. Ex: using the word “Illegal Immigrant” instead of “Asylum Seeker”

Situational irony

When the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expected. Ex: a fire station burning down

Colloquial

Uses informal, everyday language to create a sense of authenticity and character. Ex: ain’t, wanna, ope, slay etc

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable Ex: You’re a clown if you don’t study for AP Lang

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa. Ex: “The captain commands one hundred sails (sails refers to ships)”

Consonance

The recurrence of similar sounds, especially consonants, in close proximity. Ex: “She sells seashells”

Metonymy

The substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant. Ex: “the White House issued a Statement (with the White House representing the US Gov)”

Understatment

A statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is. Ex: “its a bit warm outside” when its 99 degrees.

Verbal Irony

Using language in an indirect, non-literal manner, with an intended meaning that is different from (and often opposite to) the literal meanings of the words. Ex: Stepping into a rainstorm and saying “what nice weather we’re having!”

Logical Fallacies

Errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of an argument.