| A | B |
|---|
| analogy | a comparison between two different things (Antony:Caesar::Limb:Head) |
| antecedent | word or phrase referred to by a pronoun |
| alliteration | repetition of consonant sounds |
| thesis | the main idea of an essay |
| parallelism | grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, or sentences to give structural similarity |
| aphorism | expresses a general truth or a moral principle |
| subordinate clause | contains a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence |
| independant clause | contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought |
| tone | author's attitude toward his material, audience, or both |
| colloquialism | use of slang or informalities in speech or writing |
| metonomy | the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it |
| didactic | primary aim is to teach or instruct |
| inference | to draw a reasonable conclusion from the given information |
| allegory | characters symbolically represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning |
| style | an evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, etc. |
| denotation | the literal, dictionary definition of a word |
| symbol | something concrete which represents something abstract |
| homily | sermon or serious talk involving moral or spiritual advice |
| conceit | an extended metaphor or surprising analogy; displays intellectual cleverness due to the unusual comparison being made |
| connotation | the nonliteral associative meaning of a word |
| imagery | sensory details such as the five senses |
| allusion | a reference to something which is presumably commonly known from history or literature |
| ambiguity | multiple meanings of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage |
| invective | using strong, abusive language |
| irony | contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant |
| loose sentence | main idea comes first followed by dependent grammatical units |
| metaphor | a direct comparison |
| mood | similar to tone and atmosphere; the emotional aura of a work |
| personification | giving inanimate objects or animals human characteristics |
| understatement | presents something as less significant that it is |
| rhetorical modes | variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing: exposition, argumentation, etc. |
| onomatopeia | words which sound like the actual noise: buzz |
| diction | word choices; may be formal or informal |
| theme | central idea or message of a work; the insight it offers into life |
| transitions | word or phrase which links different ideas |
| paradox | statement that appears to be self-contradictory, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth |
| repetition | duplication of any element of language in order to link and emphasize ideas |
| figurative language | imaginative and vivid language; using similes, metaphors, etc. |
| genre | major category into which a literary work fits |
| parody | a work which creates a comic effect by closely imitating the style or contect of another |
| extended metaphor | a comparison developed at great length |
| point of view | the perspective from which a story is told |
| hyperbole | exaggeration or overstatement |
| periodic sentence | presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end |
| subject compliment | part of a sentence which follows a linking verb; modifies or describes the subject |
| oxymoron | contradictory terms which suggest a paradox |
| rhetoric | principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively |
| pedantic | tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish |
| sarcasm | bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something |
| satire | a work that makes fun of human vices or social institutions for refom or ridicule |
| apostrophe | directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction |
| syllogism | a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion |
| syntax | sentence structure |
| predicate noun | part of sentence which follows a linking verb and renames the subject |
| atmosphere | emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established by setting and author's choice of objects described |
