Mrs. Baker
AP LANGUAGE: INTRODUCTORY TERMS
For the terms provided, you are expected to understand their definition and usage. Expect an
assessment over these terms during the first week of school.
1. Alliteration- the repetition of initial consonant sounds, such as “Peter Piper picked a peck of
pickled peppers.”
2. Allusion- a reference contained in a work.
3. Amplification- involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to
emphasize what otherwise might be passed over.
4. Analogy- a literary device employed to serve as a basis for comparison. It is assumed that what
applies to the parallel situation also applies to the original circumstance. In other words, it is the
comparison between two different items.
5. Anaphora- the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or
lines.
6. Anecdote- a story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate to a point.
7. Antistrophe- repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
8. Antithesis- the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by word, phrase,
clause, or paragraphs. “To be or not to be…” “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask
what you can do for your country…”
9. Aphorism- a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or moral
principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk
proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author’s point.
10. Apostrophe- a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or
personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional
intensity. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, “Milton, thou shouldst be
living at this hour: England hath need of thee.”
11. Appositive- a noun or noun substitute placed next to (in apposition to) another noun to be
described or defined by the appositive.
12. Atmosphere- the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by
the setting and partly by the author’s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as
a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, atmosphere
foreshadows events.
13. Attitude- the relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience..
14. Conceit- a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy
between seemingly dissimilar objects. A conceit displays intellectual cleverness due to the
unusual comparison being made.
15. Diction- is the choice of words used in speaking or writing. It is frequently divided into four
levels: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang. Formal diction is found in traditional academic
writing, such as books and scholarly articles; informal diction, generally characterized by words
common in conversation contexts, by contractions, and by the use of the first person (I), is found
in articles in popular magazines. Bernard R. Berelson’s essay “The Value of Children” (p.231)
uses formal diction; Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” (p.441) is informal.
16. Ellipsis- indicated by a series of three periods, the ellipsis indicates that some material has been
omitted from a given text. It could be a word, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole
section. Be wary of the ellipsis; it could obscure the real meaning of the piece of writing.
17. Epizeuxis- repetition of one word (for emphasis).
18. Euphemism- a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might
be inappropriate or uncomfortable. “He went to his final reward” is a common euphemism for
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“he died.” Euphemisms are also often used to obscure the reality of a situation. The military uses
“collateral damage” to indicate civilian deaths in a military operation.
Generalizations- are assertions or conclusions based on some specific instances. The value of a
generalization is determined by the quality and quantity of examples on which it is based. Bob
Greene in “Cut” (p.57) formulates ma generalization--being cut from and athletic team makes
men super achievers later in life--on the basis of fiver examples. For such a generalization to have
validity, however, a proper statistical sample would be essential.
Hyperbole- extreme exaggeration, often humorous, it can also be ironic; the opposite of
understatement.
Imagery- the total effect of related sensory images in a work of literature.
Irony-an unexpected twist or contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected
to happen. It involves dialog and situation, and can be intentional or unplanned. Dramatic irony
centers around the ignorance of those involved; whereas, the audience is aware of the
circumstance.
Metaphor-a direct comparison between dissimilar things. “Your eyes are stars” is an example.
Mood- this term has two distinct technical meanings in English writing. The first meaning is
grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker’s attitude. The indicative mood is used for
only factual sentences. For example, “Joe eats too quickly.” The subjunctive mood is used for a
doubtful or conditional attitude. For example, “If I were you, I’d get another job.” The
imperative mood is used for commands. For example, “Shut the door!” the second meaning of
mood is literary, meaning the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone,
and events can affect the mood. In this usage, mood is similar to tone and atmosphere.
Parallelism- also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from
Greek roots meaning “beside one another.” It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of
words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not
limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal phrase. A famous
example of parallelism begins Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of
times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the
epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…” The effects of parallelism are numerous, but
frequently, they act as an organizing force to attract the reader’s attention, add emphasis and
organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm.
Personification- the assigning of human qualities to inanimate objects or concepts (Wordsworth
personifies “the sea that bares her bosom to the moon” in the poem London 1802.).
Polysyndeton- the repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses.
Simile- an indirect comparison that uses the words like or as to link the differing items in the
comparison. (“Your eyes are like the stars.”)
Tone- the author’s attitude toward his subject.
Understatement. The opposite of hyperbole; it is a deliberate minimizing done to provide
emphasis or humor. In William Least Heat Moon’s “Nameless, Tennessee” (p. 164), Miss Ginny
Watts explains how she asked her husband to call the doctor unless he wanted to be “shut of” (rid
of) her. Her husband, Thurmond, humorously uses understatement in his reply: “I studied on it.”