AP Lang Vocab List 5

personification

The attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract concepts.

symbolism

something that is itself and yet also represents something else, like an idea.

synecdoche

A figure of speech wherein a part of something represents the whole thing. In this figure, the head of a cow might substitute for the whole cow. Therefore, a herd of fifty cows might be referred to as 'fifty head of cattle.’

first person central

Most first person narratives are told from this perspective. This lets the reader hear the main character's account of the action through his own voice.

first person peripheral

the narrator is another character in the story, one who witnesses the main character's story and conveys it to the reader; may be a part of the action but is not the focus.

first person plural

narrators tell the story using "we"; no individual speaker is identified; the narrator is a member of a group that acts as a unit.

second person

point of view that refers to a person or people being addressed by a writer or speaker.

stream of consciousness

a literary style in which a character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions are depicted in a continuous flow uninterrupted by objective description or conventional dialogue

cosmic irony

when the outcome of a character's actions seem to be controlled by fate, the universe, or the gods.

simple sentence

contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent clause.

compound sentence

a sentence with at least two independent clauses.

complex sentence

a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

compound-complex sentence

a sentence with at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

periodic sentence

the main point (independent clause) occurs at the end of the sentence, after one or more side points (dependent clauses) lead up to the main point.

loose sentence

the independent clause is at the beginning, followed by one or more dependent clauses; the structure is the opposite of periodic sentences

parallel structure

refers to using words, phrases, or clauses that are similar or identical in form, structure, or sound. Not only does it improve readability, but also shows that two or more ideas are equal in importance.

telegraphic sentence

a sentence shorter than five words in length.

allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

anecdote

A brief recounting of a relevant episode; often inserted into fictional or non fictional texts as a way of developing a point or injecting humor.

didactic language

A term used to describe fiction, nonfiction or poetry that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.

gothic

Writing characterized by gloom, mystery, fear and/or death. Also refers to an architectural style of the middle ages, often seen in cathedrals of this period.

invective

A long, emotionally violent, attack using strong, abusive language.

pacing

The speed or tempo of an author’s writing. Writers can use a variety of devices (syntax, anaphora, meter) to change the ______ of their words; can be fast, sluggish, stabbing, vibrato, staccato, measured, etc.

rhetorical question

Question not asked for information but for effect

vernacular

the language spoken by the people who live in a particular locality.