AP Lang Terms 2

apostrophe

a locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present

arch

characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy, playful, and somewhat irreverent

assonance

repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry to create a rhythm or enhance mood


bard

a poet; in olden times a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment

bathos

Insincere or overdone sentimentality

belle-lettres

A French term referring to books, criticism, and literature in general

bibliography

a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a particular subject

bombast

inflated, pretentious language

burlesque

a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation

cacophony

grating, inharmonious souns

canon

the rocks considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied

cariacature

a grotesque or exaggerated likeness of striking qualities in persons and things

carpe diem

Literally, “seize the day”; “enjoy life while you can,” a common theme in life and literature

chiasmus

Using two clauses with a reversal of meaning in order to create an inverse parallel

circumlocution

Literally “talking around",” discourse that avoids direct reference to a subject

classic

A highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time

classical, classicism

Deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity, and restraint.

clause

a structural element of a sentence, consisting of a grammatical subject and a predicatec

climax

The high point, or turning point, of a story or play

comparison and contrast

a mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted. Comparison often refers to similarities, contrast to differences.

Conceit

A witty or ingenious thought; a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language.c

concrete detail

a highly specific, particular, often real, actual or tangible detail; the opposite of abstract.

connotation

the suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrasethat goes beyond its literal definition. It often evokes emotions or associations.

consonance

the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing.

archetype

an abstract or ideal conception of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model or form