Poetry & Literary Terms & Techniques Flashcard

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Dactyl

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A poetic foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (e.g., 'uu).

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Figure of Speech

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A word or expression that is not meant to be interpreted in a literal sense.

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Iamb

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The most common poetic foot in English and American poetry; consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (u, ').

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Oxymoron

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A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory ideas or terms, such as 'sweet sorrow' or 'wise fool', suggesting a paradox.

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Dialect

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The characteristic speech of a particular region or social group.

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Metaphor

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A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

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Simile

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A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a sequence of words.

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Personification

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A figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates a vivid picture in the reader's mind.