word choice intended to convey a certain effect
diction terms
denotationconnotationmonosyllabicpolysyllabiccolloquialformaldialect
Denotation
The dictionary definition of a word
Connotation
An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing
monosyllabic
having only one syllable
colloquial
characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation; slang
formal
characterized by strict or meticulous observation of forms; methodical; stiffly ceremonious
dialect
a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or pattern of the culture in which it exists.
Imagery
A word or group of words in a literary work which appeal to one or more of the senses
imagery terms
sight (visual)taste (papillary or gustatory)touch (tactile)sound (auditory)smell (olfactory)
detail
the facts revealed by the author or speaker the support the attitude or tone in a piece of literature. The omission of deatil can be just as significant.
language
Describes the combination of words used in a text which includes concrete and abstract elements
language terms
concreteabstract
concrete
language that describes qualities that can be perceived with the senses or that can be precisely located in a piece of literature.
abstract
Language that describes qualities that cannot be perceived with thefive senses. For instance, calling something pleasant or pleasing is abstract, while calling something yellow or sour is concrete.
Figures of speech/Figurative language
(sometimes termed a rhetorical device) writing or speech that is not meant to be interpreted literally ( Ex: simile, metaphor, personification, etc.) This technique adds color or meaning: often deeper and more complex than literal meaning of words.
apostrophe
a form of personification in which the absent, dead, or inanimate are spoken to as if present or animate.
Hyperbole
a deliberate exaggeration or overstatement
Metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
Metonymy
A figure of speech in which a word represents something else which it suggests.
motif
a repeated word, image, object, action, or situation that helps to unify a literary work.
Oxymoron
A form of paradox that combines a pair of opposite ideas
Personification
use of language that gives non-human objects or ideas human qualities.
Paradox
a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true
Pun
a play on words that are identical or similar in sound but have sharply diverse meanings
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as
sound devices
stylistic techniques that convey meaning through sound
sound device terms
alliterationassonanceconsonanceonomatopoeiarhyme
Alliteration
Repetition of consonant sounds
Assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words
Cosonance
the repetition of consonant sounds at the ends of words in a series
onomatopoeia
the use of words that mimic the sounds they describe
rhyme
the repetition of sounds in two or more words or phrases that appear close to each other.
Tone
the attitude a writer takes towards a subject or character; ex: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironical, satirical, objective. Remember: DIDLS (diction, imagery, detail, language and syntax) all help to create tone.
Irony
takes on many forms. In situational irony, the result of an action is the reverse of what the actor expected. In dramatic irony, the audience knows something that the characters do not. In verbal irony, the contrast is between the literal meaning of what is said and what is meant. A character may refer to a plan as brilliant, while actually meaning that (s)he thinks the plan is foolish. Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony.
Theme
The central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. A theme provides a unifying point around which the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a work are organized. It is important not to mistake the theme for the actual subject of the work; the theme refers to the abstract concept that is made concrete through the images, characterization, and action of the text. In nonfiction, however, the theme generally refers to the main topic of the discourse.
Author's PURPOSE
Always remember the BIG picture. What is the author's goal in writing the piece? Purpose must always be considered.
what does authors purpose do?
To describeTo informTo entertainTo explainTo tell a storyTo ridiculeTo persuade
Define "science" & the goal of science