AP Language and Composition Vocab

mistaken thought, idea, or notion

• Modest
• Exploit
• Tyrannize
• Misconception

to take advantage of someone or something, for one’s own selfish purpose

• Modest
• Exploit
• Tyrannize
• Misconception

define satire

• drawing a conclusion based on facts.
• taking advantage of someone or something for one own's benefit.
• a form of speech which contains an expression of less strength than what would be expected. In satire, the understated language may be ironic.
• provoking change or reform through poking fun at society's vices

Which of the following is a paradox?

• A rolling stone gathers no moss.
• “What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.” – George Bernard Shaw
• “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, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” (Dickens)

define aphorism

• a comparison that point out similarities between two dissimilar things
• a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist produces tension or conflict
• a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment
• a rhetorical device in which a speaker addresses a person or personified thing not present

define polysyndeton

• A stylistic device in which several internal vowels sounds are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect.
• A stylistic device in which the omission of conjunctions is used to achieve an artistic effect.
• A stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect.

define juxtaposition

• A literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.
• An element of syntax in which the most prominent information is positioned at the beginning of the sentence.
• A literary technique in which ideas are intentionally positioned for purposes of comparison rather than contrast.

define anaphora?

• When your dog impregnates your fish 
• Deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs.
• specific word choice
• the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds

define rhetoric?

• The sentence structure 
• The purpose of the text
• Effective or persuasive speaking or writing
• The authors attitude towards the subject

define argument

• Something that shows whether something is true or false
• Act of causing people to believe something
• Claim supported by reasons and evidence
• An opinion, attitude, or judgement