the quality or state of being dull or insipid

a banal, trite, or stale remark.

His speech was filled with familiar platitudes about
the value of hard work and dedication.
PLATITUDE <“blondes have more fun” is a silly platitude>

gre·gar·i·ous
1. (of a person) Fond of company; sociable

analogy an extended comparison between two seemingly

disimilar things

Attache a specialist assigned to the staff of a diplomatic

mission

annotation explanatory or critical notes added

to a text
 something that differs from the norm (In 1974,
Poland won the
World Cup, but the success turned out to be

Aberration an aberration, and Poland

have not won a World Cup since)

antithesis The direct or exact opposite: Hope is the antithesis of

despair

aphorism a short, astute statement of a

general truth

that which is implied by a word, as opposed to the

word's literal meaning (see denotation)

connotation An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a

word or thing: Hollywood holds connotations of romance
and glittering success

denotation the literal meaning of a word; its

dicitionary definition
 epigram a brief witty statement

figurative language the use of tropes or figures of speech; going beyond

literal meaning to achieve literary effect

figure of speech an expression that strives for literary effect rather

than conveying a literal meaning

hyperbole exaggeration for the purpose of

emphasis
 irony a contradition between what is said and what is
meant; incongruity between action and results

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

metonymy use of an aspect of something to

represent the whole

an all-knowing, usually third-person

omniscient narrator narrator

oxymoron a figure of speech that combines two

contradictory terms
 paradox a statement that seems
contradictory but is actually true

parody a piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent

features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule

a Greek term that refers to suffering but has come to

pathos be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one

of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals (see ethos and
logos)

periodic sentence a sentence that builds towards, and ends with the
main clause

persona the speaker, voice, or character assumed by the

author of a piece of writing
 assigning human characteristics to
personification inanimate objects

rhetoric
the study of effective, persuasive language use;
according to Aristotle, use of the "available means of
persuasion"

patterns of organization developed to achieve a

specific purpose; modes include but are not limited

rhetorical mode to narration, description, comparision and contrast,

cause and effect, definition, exemplificaiton,
classifcation and division, process analysis, and
argumentation

rhetorical question a question asked more to produce an effect than to

summon an answer

satire an ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims

to argue for something, but actually argues against it
 simile a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare
two things

style
the distinctive quality of speech or writing created by
the selection and arrangement of works and figures
of speech

syllogism
a form of deductive reasoning in which the
conclusion is supported by a major and minor
premise

syntax sentence structure

thesis the central idea in a work to which all parts of the

work refer
 tone the speaker's attitude toward the
subject or audience

trope artful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral way;

also called a figure of speech

understatement lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in

language often used for ironic effect

point of view
any of several possible vantage points; omniscient,
limited to that of a single character, and limited to
that of several characters

setting the background to a story

 theme the main thought expressed by a
work

allegory a story in which people, things and events have

another meaning

ambiguity a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity

meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations

digression the use of material unrelated to the

subject of a work

euphemism a figure of speech using indirection to avoid offensive

bluntness
 parable a story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a
moral, or answer a question

onomatopoeia the use of words whose tone

suggests their meaning

clause a group of words containing a subject and its verb

that may or may not be a complete sentence

ellipsis the omission of a word or several words necessary for

a complete construction that is still understandable

parallel structure a similar grammatical structure within a sentence or

within a paragraph
 abstract an abbreviated synopsis of a longer work of
scholarship or research

ad hominem directed to or appealing to feelings or prejudices

instead of to intellet or reason

adage
a saying or proverb containing a truth based on
experience and often couched in metaphorical
language

anachronism a person, scene, event or other element that fails to

correspond with the appropriate time or era

antagonist
a character or force in a work of literature that, by
opposing the protagonist, produces tension or
conflict
Apollonian in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble,
godlike qualties of human nature and behavior

apostrophe a locution that addresses a person or personified

thing not present

arch characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy,

playful and somewhat irreverent

archetype an abstract or ideal conception of a

type

assonance the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a

group of words in prose or poetry
 bard a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic
stories to musical accompaniment

bathos insincere or overdone

sentimentality

belle-lettres a French term for the world of books, criticism, and

literature in general

bibliography a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a

particular subject

bombast inflated, pretentious language

burlesque a work of literature meant to ridicule a subject; a
grotesque imitation

cacophony grating, inharmonious sounds

canon the considered most important in a national

literature or period; works widely read and studied

caricature a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons

and things

carpe diem literally, "seize the day"

circumlocution literally, "talking around" a subject

classic a highly regarded work of literature or other art form

that has withstood the test of time

classical, classicism deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek

and Roman culture

climax the high point, or turning point, of a

story or play

comparision and a mode of discourse in which two or more things are

contrast
compared and contrasted
 conceit a witty or ingenious thought

concrete detail a highly specific, particular, often real, actual or

tangible detail; opposite of abstract

consonance the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a

group of words or a unit of speech or writing

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

cynic one who expects and observes nothing but the worst
of human conduct
 a method of reasoning by which specific definitions,
deductive reasoning conclusions, and theorems are drawn from general
principals

de'nouement the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or

drama, real or imagined

descriptive detail graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the

characteristics of a person, place or thing

deus ex machina in literature, the use of an artifical device or gimmick

to solve a problem

didactic
having an instructive purpose; intending to convey
information to teach a lesson usually in a dry,
pompous manner
 Dionysian as distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to
sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses

dramatic irony a circumstance in which the audience or reader

knows more about a situation than a character

elegy
a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates
on the passing or death of someone of something of
value

a sentence containing a deliberate

elliptical construction omission of words

empathy a feeling of association or identification with an

object or person
 epic a narrative poem that tells of the adventures and
exploits of a hero

euphony pleasing, harmonious sounds

epithet an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking

quality or a person or thing

eponymous a term for the title character of a

work of literature

exegesis a detailed analysis or interpretation of a work of

prose or poetry
 expose a piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults,
frailties, or other shortcomings

exposition
the background and events that lead to the
presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay
or other work

explication the interpretation or analysis of a

text

a series of comparisons between two

extended metaphor unlike objects

fable a short tale often with nonhuman chacters from

which a useful lesson may be drawn
 an incorrect belief or supposition based on faulty
fallacy, fallacious reasoning data, defective evidence, or false information

fantasy a story containing unreal, imaginary

features

farce
a comedy that contains an extravagant and
nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may
have a serious, scornful purpose

frame a structure that provides a premise or setting for a

narrative or other discourse

genre a term used to describe literary forms, such as novel,

play, and essay
harangue a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade

homily a lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme

meant to guide human behavior

hubris excessive pride that often affects

tone

humanism a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in

human potential and creativity

idyll a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal

life or place
indirect quotation a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are
not stated but only approximated or paraphrased

inductive reasoning a method of reasoning in which a number of specific

facts or examples are used to make a generalization

inference a conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering

facts, observations, or some other specific data

invective a direct verbal assault; a denunciation; casting blame

on someone or something

kenning
a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which
the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions
or qualities
 lampoon a mocking, satirical assault on a
person or situation

litotes a form of understatement in which the negative of

the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity

a sentence that follows the customary word order of

loose sentence English sentences. The main idea of the sentence is

presented first and is then followed by one or more
subordinate clauses

lyrical prose personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's

thoughts and feelings about the subject

malapropism
a confused use of words in which the appropriate
word is replaced by one with a similar soud but
inappropriate meaning
 maxim a saying or proverb expressing
common wisdom or truth

melodrama a literary form in which events are exaggerated in

order to create an extreme emotional response

metaphysical
a term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits,
expresses the complexities of love and life, and is
highly intellectual

Middle English the language spoken in England roughly between

1150 and 1500 A.D.

mock epic a parody of traditional epic from

mock solemnity feigned or deliberately artificial seriousness, often for
satirical purposes

mode the general form, patterm, and manner of expression

of a piece of discourse

montage a quick succession of images or impressions used to

express an idea

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.

moral a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may

infer from a work of literature
 motif
a phrase, idea, or event that through repition serves
to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other
discourse

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

myth
an imaginary story that has become an accepted part
of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or
society

narrative a from of verse or prose that tells a

story

naturalism
a term often used as a synonym for realism; also a
view of experience that is generally characterized as
bleak and pessimistic
non sequitur a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from
the one before

objective of or relating to facts and reality, as opposed to

private and personal feelings and attitudes

ode a lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful,

and exalted feelings toward the subject

Old English
the Anglo-Saxon language spoken from
approximately 450 to 1150 A.D. in what is now Great
Britain

paraphrase a version of a text put into simplier,

everyday words
 pastoral a work of literature dealing with
rural life

pathetic fallacy faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human

feelings to nature or nonhuman objects

pedantic narrowly academic instead of broad and humane;

excessively petty and meticulous

plot the interrelationship among the

evnts in a story

predicate the part of a sentence that is not the

grammatical subject
 prose any discourse that is not poetry

proverb a short pithy statement of a general truth, one that

condenses common experience into memorable form

pseudonym a false name or alias used by writers

pulp fiction novels written for mass consumption, often

emphasizing exciting and titillating plots

pun a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding

or identical words to suggest different meanings
 realism
the depiction of people, things, and events as they
really are without idealization or exaggeration for
effect

rebuttal, refutation the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments

are anticipated and answered

reiteration repetitin of an idea using different words, often for

emphasis or other effect

repetition reuse of the same words, phrases, or ideas for

rhetorical effect, usually to emphasize a point

retraction the withdrawal of a previously

stated idea or opinion
rhetorical stance language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion
with regard to a particular subject

rhyme the repitition of similar sounds at regualar intervals,

used mostly in poetry but not unheard of in prose

rhythm the pattern of stressed amd unstressed syllables that

make up speech and writing

romance an extanded narrative abput improbable events and

extraordinary people in exotic places

sarcasm a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through

jibes, taunts, or other remarks
 the arrangement of the parts of a
sentence structure sentence

sentiment a synonym for view of feeling; also a refined and

tender emotion in literature

sentimental a term that describes characters' excessive emotional

response to experience

stream of a style of writing in which the author tries to

reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human
consciousness mind

a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone,

stylistic devices figurative language, and all other elements that

contribute to the "style" or manner of a given piece of
discourse
subject complement the name of a grammatical unit that is comprised of
predicate moninatives and predicate adjectives

subjective of or relating to private and personal feelings and

attitudes as opposed to facts and reality

subtext the implied meaning that underlies the main

meaning of an essay or other work

symbolism the use of one subject to evoke ideas and associations

not literally part of the original object

synecdoche a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole

or the whole signifies the part
 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

transition a stylistic device used to create a

link between ideas

verbal irony
a discrepancy between the true meaning of a
situation and the literal meaning of the written or
spoken words

verse a synonym for poetry; also a group of lines in a song

or poem; also a single line of poetry

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
 whimsy an object, device, or creation that is fanciful or rooted
in unreality

wit
the quickness of intellect and the power and talent
for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by
their unexpectedness

anaphora the repetition of words at the beginning of successive

clauses

appositive a word or phrase that renames a

nearby noun or pronoun

antimetabole the repetition of words in an inverted order to

sharpen a contrast
 archaic diction the use of words common to an earlier time period;
antiquated language

argument a statement put forth and supported

by evidence

a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as

Aristotelian triangle the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and
the audience

assertion an emphatic statement; declaration

assumption a belief or statement taken for

granted without proof
asyndeton leaving out conjunctions between
words, phrases, clauses

attitude the speaker's position on a subject as revealed

through his or her tone

audience one's listener or readership; those to whom a speech

or piece of writing is addressed

authority a reliable, respected source -

someone with knowledge

bias prejudice or predisposition toward one side of a

subject or issue
 cite identifying a part of a piece of writing as being
derived from a source

claim an assertion, usually supported by

evidence

close reading
a careful reading that is attentive to organization,
figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary,
and other literary and structural elements of a text

colloquial/ism an informal or conversational use of

language

common ground shared beliefs, values, or positions

complex sentences a sentence that includes one independent clause and
at least one dependent clause

concession a reluctant acknowledgment or

yielding

context words, events, or circumstances that

help determine meaning

coordination
grammatical equivalence between parts of a
sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction
such as and, or but

a challenge to a position; an
counterargument opposing argument
 credible worthy of belief; trustworthy

cumulative sentence an independent clause followed by subordinate

clauses or phrases that supply additional detail

declarative sentence a sentence that makes a statement

a double-column journal in which one writes a

dialectal journal quotation in one column and reflections on that
quotation in the other column

documentation bibliographic information about the sources used in

a piece or writing
 elegiac mournful over what has passed or been lost; often
used to describe tone

ethos a Greek term referring to the character of a person;

one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals

explanation of a text's meaning through an analysis

explication of text of all of its constituent parts, including the literary
devices used

facts information that is true or

demonstrable

fragment a word, phrase, or clause that does not form a full

sentence
 hortatory urging, or strongly encouraging

imagery vivid use of language that evokes a

reader's senses

a sentence that requests or

imperative sentence commands

inversion a sentence in which the verb

precedes the subject

irony a contradiction between what is said and what is

meant; incongruity between action and results
juxtaposition placement of two things side by side
for emphasis

logos a Greek term that means "word"; an appeal to logic;

one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals

modifier a word, phrase, or clause that qualifies or describes

another word, phrase, or clause

nominalization turning a verb or adjective into a

noun

occasion an aspect of context; the cause or

reason for writing
 an all-knowing, usually third-person
omniscient narrator narrator

pacing the relative speed that combines two

contradictory terms

paradox a statement that seems

contradictory but is actually true

polemic an argument against an idea, usually regarding

philosophy, politics, or religion

polysyndeton the deliberative use of a series of

conjunctions
 two parts of a
premise; major, minor
syllogism

pronoun a word used to replace a noun or

noun phrase

propaganda a negative term for writing designed to sway opinion

rather than present information

purpose one's intention or objective in a speech or piece of

writing

patterns of organization developed to achieve a

specific purpose; include but are not limited to

rhetorical modes narration, description, comparison and contrast,

cause and effect, definiton, exemplification,
classification and division, process analysis, and
argumentation
 scheme a pattern of words or sentence construction used for
rhetorical effect

sentence variety using a variety of sentence patterns to create a

desired effect

simile a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare

two things

simple sentence a statement containing a subject and predicate; an

independent clause

source a book, article, person, or other resource consulted

for information
 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

straw man
a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily
refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking
an opponent's position

a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as

rhetorical triangle the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and
the audience

subject in rhetoric, the topic addressed in a

piece of writing

Similies are very close to metaphors, but make a

comparison instead of actually suggesting that two
things are essentially the same. For example,
Similie while the above quote didn't suggest that success
was like a bastard, the quote by Qan Zhang that
"Success is like a pie, there are different
layers" compares success to a pie.
 To consent or comply passively or without
protest.
"I acquiesce to your request to serve your
sentence in a facility near your aging
ac·qui·esce/ˌakwēˈes/ parents."

Quid pro quo Something for something

pleth·o·ra/ˈpleTHərə/Noun
An excess of food

af·fa·ble/ˈafəbəl/ Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk

to

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that

ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate
another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in "a sea
Metaphor of troubles" or "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare
“he drowned in a sea of grief” or “she is fishing in
troubled waters,” or “success is a bastard as it has
many fathers, and failure is an orphan, with no
takers.”
 t's a Latin term that's used to mean "by itself" or
"in and of itself," without consideration of outside
factors.
"Their breakup was not about infidelity per se, but
Per Se about the lack of trust between the couple."
"Hard work per se does not guarantee success;
often, luck and good connections are also
necessary."

Some cliches, or worn out, overused

phrases are: beyond the shadow of a
Cliche doubt easier said than done hard as a
rock it’s not over till the fat lady sings
needle in a haystack

"The 'reconstruction' of New Orleans has become

a euphemism for the destruction of the
Euphemism city's cultural and historic heritage.
Dr. House: I'm busy.Thirteen: We need you to . . .
Dr. House: Actually, as you can see, I'm not busy.
It's just a euphemism for "get the hell out of
here."

An anomaly is any occurrence or object

that is strange, unusual, or unique. It can
Anomaly also mean a discrepancy or deviation from
an established rule, trend, or pattern.

A dissident, broadly defined, is a person

who actively challenges an established

Dissident doctrine, policy, or institution. When

dissidents unite for a common cause they
often effect a dissident movement.
 Eclectic made up from a variety of sources or styles.
You have an eclectic personality.

abhor(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the

head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began toabhor the sport).
acquiesce
(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay
outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had
better come in to dinner, heacquiesced to her demands.)
alacrity
(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his
girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set
the table he did so withalacrity.)
amiable
(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just about
everyone.)
appease
(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate
toappease him.)
arcane
(adj.) obscure, secret, known only by a few (The professor is an expert
inarcane Kashubian literature.)