Hammbone's Small List
Terms
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- assumption
- a belief or statement taken for granted without proof
- parable
- a story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a moral, or answer a question
- verse
- a synonym for poetry; also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry
- ambiguity
- a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations
- conceit
- a witty or ingenious thought
- onomatopoeia
- the use of words whose tone suggests their meaning
- fragment
- a word, phrase, or clause that does not form a full sentence
- argument
- a statement put forth and supported by evidence
- genre
- a term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play, and essay
- source
- a book, article, person, or other resource consulted for information
- humanism
- a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity
- rebuttal, refutation
- the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments are anticipated and answered
- pedantic
- narrowly academic instead of broad and humane; excessively petty and meticulous
- malapropism
- a confused use of words in which the appropriate word is replaced by one with a similar soud but inappropriate meaning
- inductive reasoning
- a method of reasoning in which a number of specific facts or examples are used to make a generalization
- straw man
- a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position
- montage
- a quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea
- allusion
- indirect reference to another text or historic event
- subject complement
- the name of a grammatical unit that is comprised of predicate moninatives and predicate adjectives
- polysyndeton
- the deliberative use of a series of conjunctions
- cite
- identifying a part of a piece of writing as being derived from a source
- didactic
- having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information to teach a lesson usually in a dry, pompous manner
- predicate
- the part of a sentence that is not the grammatical subject
- authority
- a reliable, respected source - someone with knowledge
- proverb
- a short pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form
- oxymoron
- a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms
- Old English
- the Anglo-Saxon language spoken from approximately 450 to 1150 A.D. in what is now Great Britain
- Middle English
- the language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 A.D.
- persona
- the speaker, voice, or character assumed by the author of a piece of writing
- sentimental
- a term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience
- transition
- a stylistic device used to create a link between ideas
- rhetorical modes
- patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; include but are not limited to narration, description, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, definiton, exemplification, classification and division, process analysis, and argumentation
- syntax
- sentence structure
- prose
- any discourse that is not poetry
- hyperbole
- exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis
- repetition
- reuse of the same words, phrases, or ideas for rhetorical effect, usually to emphasize a point
- comparision and contrast
- a mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted
- mock solemnity
- feigned or deliberately artificial seriousness, often for satirical purposes
- eponymous
- a term for the title character of a work of literature
- critique
- an analysis or assessment of a thing or situation for the purpose of determining its nature, its limitations, and its conformity to a set of standards
- stylistic devices
- a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language, and all other elements that contribute to the "style" or manner of a given piece of discourse
- epic
- a narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero
- pacing
- the relative speed that combines two contradictory terms
- reiteration
- repetitin of an idea using different words, often for emphasis or other effect
- epithet
- an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality or a person or thing
- asyndeton
- leaving out conjunctions between words, phrases, clauses
- wit
- the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness
- naturalism
- a term often used as a synonym for realism; also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic
- omniscient narrator
- an all-knowing, usually third-person narrator
- pseudonym
- a false name or alias used by writers
- antithesis
- parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas
- occasion
- an aspect of context; the cause or reason for writing
- de'nouement
- the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or drama, real or imagined
- realism
- the depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect
- classical, classicism
- deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture
- bard
- a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment
- antimetabole
- the repetition of words in an inverted order to sharpen a contrast
- clause
- a group of words containing a subject and its verb that may or may not be a complete sentence
- elliptical construction
- a sentence containing a deliberate omission of words
- kenning
- a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities
- circumlocution
- literally, "talking around" a subject
- imagery
- vivid use of language that evokes a reader's senses
- euphemism
- a figure of speech using indirection to avoid offensive bluntness
- frame
- a structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discourse
- whimsy
- an object, device, or creation that is fanciful or rooted in unreality
- theme
- the main thought expressed by a work
- figure of speech
- an expression that strives for literary effect rather than conveying a literal meaning
- hortatory
- urging, or strongly encouraging
- stream of consciousness
- a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind
- bias
- prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a subject or issue
- cumulative sentence
- an independent clause followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail
- appositive
- a word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun
- arch
- characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy, playful and somewhat irreverent
- periodic sentence
- a sentence that builds towards, and ends with the main clause
- ad hominem
- directed to or appealing to feelings or prejudices instead of to intellet or reason
- annotation
- explanatory or critical notes added to a text
- antecedent
- the noun to which a later pronoun refers
- maxim
- a saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth
- subordinate clause
- created by a subordinating conjunction, a clause that modifies an independent clause
- subtext
- the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of an essay or other work
- ethos
- a Greek term referring to the character of a person; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals
- inversion
- a sentence in which the verb precedes the subject
- inference
- a conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data
- adage
- a saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language
- indirect quotation
- a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased
- lampoon
- a mocking, satirical assault on a person or situation
- speaker
- a term used for the author, speaker, or the person whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing
- aphorism
- a short, astute statement of a general truth
- pathos
- a Greek term that refers to suffering but has come to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals (see ethos and logos)
- bibliography
- a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a particular subject
- personification
- assigning human characteristics to inanimate objects
- rhetoric
- the study of effective, persuasive language use; according to Aristotle, use of the "available means of persuasion"
- rhetorical mode
- patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not limited to narration, description, comparision and contrast, cause and effect, definition, exemplificaiton, classifcation and division, process analysis, and argumentation
- scheme
- a pattern of words or sentence construction used for rhetorical effect
- pathetic fallacy
- faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects
- setting
- the background to a story
- simile
- a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two things
- caricature
- a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things
- metonymy
- use of an aspect of something to represent the whole
- loose sentence
- a sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is then followed by one or more subordinate clauses
- sarcasm
- a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through jibes, taunts, or other remarks
- trope
- artful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral way; also called a figure of speech
- invective
- a direct verbal assault; a denunciation; casting blame on someone or something
- coordination
- grammatical equivalence between parts of a sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction such as and, or but
- subjective
- of or relating to private and personal feelings and attitudes as opposed to facts and reality
- credible
- worthy of belief; trustworthy
- dialectal journal
- a double-column journal in which one writes a quotation in one column and reflections on that quotation in the other column
- moral
- a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature
- modifier
- a word, phrase, or clause that qualifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause
- syllogism
- a form of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion is supported by a major and minor premise
- exposition
- the background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay or other work
- thesis
- the central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer
- pastoral
- a work of literature dealing with rural life
- litotes
- a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity
- plot
- the interrelationship among the evnts in a story
- melodrama
- a literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response
- dramatic irony
- a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character
- deus ex machina
- in literature, the use of an artifical device or gimmick to solve a problem
- exegesis
- a detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of prose or poetry
- assertion
- an emphatic statement; declaration
- apostrophe
- a locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present
- attitude
- the speaker's position on a subject as revealed through his or her tone
- purpose
- one's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing
- romance
- an extanded narrative abput improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places
- style
- the distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of works and figures of speech
- non sequitur
- a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before
- counterargument
- a challenge to a position; an opposing argument
- juxtaposition
- placement of two things side by side for emphasis
- fantasy
- a story containing unreal, imaginary features
- metaphysical
- a term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits, expresses the complexities of love and life, and is highly intellectual
- diction
- word choice
- allegory
- a story in which people, things and events have another meaning
- mock epic
- a parody of traditional epic from
- premise; major, minor
- two parts of a syllogism
- deductive reasoning
- a method of reasoning by which specific definitions, conclusions, and theorems are drawn from general principals
- denotation
- the literal meaning of a word; its dicitionary definition
- burlesque
- a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a grotesque imitation
- canon
- the considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied
- extended metaphor
- a series of comparisons between two unlike objects
- figurative language
- the use of tropes or figures of speech; going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect
- ode
- a lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject
- retraction
- the withdrawal of a previously stated idea or opinion
- paradox
- a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true
- classic
- a highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time
- digression
- the use of material unrelated to the subject of a work
- archetype
- an abstract or ideal conception of a type
- explication of text
- explanation of a text's meaning through an analysis of all of its constituent parts, including the literary devices used
- synthesize
- combining or bringing together two or more elements to produce something more complex
- alliteration
- repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of consecutive words or syllables
- declarative sentence
- a sentence that makes a statement
- colloquial/ism
- an informal or conversational use of language
- mood
- the emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature or other discourse. In grammar, mood refers to the intent of a particular sentence.
- anachronism
- a person, scene, event or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era
- rhetorical triangle
- a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience
- harangue
- a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade
- concrete detail
- a highly specific, particular, often real, actual or tangible detail; opposite of abstract
- bathos
- insincere or overdone sentimentality
- propaganda
- a negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information
- polemic
- an argument against an idea, usually regarding philosophy, politics, or religion
- consonance
- the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing
- claim
- an assertion, usually supported by evidence
- tone
- the speaker's attitude toward the subject or audience
- irony
- a contradiction between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and results
- verbal irony
- a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words
- tragedy
- a form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish
- anecdote
- a short account of an interesting event
- nominalization
- turning a verb or adjective into a noun
- subordination
- the dependence of one syntactical element on another in a sentence
- bombast
- inflated, pretentious language
- carpe diem
- literally, "seize the day"
- irony
- a contradition between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and results
- sentence variety
- using a variety of sentence patterns to create a desired effect
- fable
- a short tale often with nonhuman chacters from which a useful lesson may be drawn
- climax
- the high point, or turning point, of a story or play
- antagonist
- a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict
- satire
- an ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it
- hubris
- excessive pride that often affects tone
- Apollonian
- in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualties of human nature and behavior
- close reading
- a careful reading that is attentive to organization, figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary, and other literary and structural elements of a text
- motif
- a phrase, idea, or event that through repition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse
- elegy
- a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death of someone of something of value
- homily
- a lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior
- zeugma
- a construction in which one word (usually a verb) modifies or governs - often in different, sometimes incongruent ways - two or more words in a sentence
- cacophony
- grating, inharmonious sounds
- understatement
- lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect
- imperative sentence
- a sentence that requests or commands
- abstract
- an abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of scholarship or research
- omniscient narrator
- an all-knowing, usually third-person narrator
- pulp fiction
- novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and titillating plots
- simile
- a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two things
- verisimilitude
- similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is
- narrative
- a from of verse or prose that tells a story
- complex sentences
- a sentence that includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
- context
- words, events, or circumstances that help determine meaning
- fallacy, fallacious reasoning
- an incorrect belief or supposition based on faulty data, defective evidence, or false information
- symbolism
- the use of one subject to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object
- analogy
- an extended comparison between two seemingly disimilar things
- Aristotelian triangle
- a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience
- rhyme
- the repitition of similar sounds at regualar intervals, used mostly in poetry but not unheard of in prose
- epigram
- a brief witty statement
- descriptive detail
- graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place or thing
- sentiment
- a synonym for view of feeling; also a refined and tender emotion in literature
- topic sentence
- a sentence, most often appearing at the beginning of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's idea and often unites it with the work's thesis
- sentence structure
- the arrangement of the parts of a sentence
- muse
- (n.) one of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts; the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer. (v.) To reflect deeply; to ponder
- paradox
- a statement that seems contradicotry but is actually true
- elegiac
- mournful over what has passed or been lost; often used to describe tone
- objective
- of or relating to facts and reality, as opposed to private and personal feelings and attitudes
- parody
- a piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule
- common ground
- shared beliefs, values, or positions
- documentation
- bibliographic information about the sources used in a piece or writing
- myth
- an imaginary story that has become an accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or society
- euphony
- pleasing, harmonious sounds
- metaphor
- a figure of speech or trope through which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else, thus making an implicit comparison
- lyrical prose
- personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject
- paraphrase
- a version of a text put into simplier, everyday words
- expose
- a piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other shortcomings
- Dionysian
- as distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses
- thesis
- the central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer
- rhetorical question
- a question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer
- cynic
- one who expects and observes nothing but the worst of human conduct
- pun
- a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings
- rhythm
- the pattern of stressed amd unstressed syllables that make up speech and writing
- rhetorical stance
- language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a particular subject
- thesis statement
- a statement of the central idea in a work, may be explicit or implicit
- facts
- information that is true or demonstrable
- empathy
- a feeling of association or identification with an object or person
- connotation
- that which is implied by a word, as opposed to the word's literal meaning (see denotation)
- concession
- a reluctant acknowledgment or yielding
- synecdoche
- a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part
- mode
- the general form, patterm, and manner of expression of a piece of discourse
- subject
- in rhetoric, the topic addressed in a piece of writing
- assonance
- the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry
- audience
- one's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed
- farce
- a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose
- pronoun
- a word used to replace a noun or noun phrase
- idyll
- a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place
- simple sentence
- a statement containing a subject and predicate; an independent clause
- explication
- the interpretation or analysis of a text
- belle-lettres
- a French term for the world of books, criticism, and literature in general
- anaphora
- the repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses
- parallel structure
- a similar grammatical structure within a sentence or within a paragraph
- logos
- a Greek term that means "word"; an appeal to logic; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals
- ellipsis
- the omission of a word or several words necessary for a complete construction that is still understandable
- archaic diction
- the use of words common to an earlier time period; antiquated language
- point of view
- any of several possible vantage points; omniscient, limited to that of a single character, and limited to that of several characters