Definitions
a figure of speech that involves a change in the usual meaning or signification of words.
a figure of speech that involves a change in the usual meaning or signification of words.
an implied comparison between two things that clarifies and enlivens argument
Metaphor
addressing a person or a personified thing that is not there
Apostrophe
is everyday speech. It's just the way people talk in day-to-day life. The opposite of vernacular is formal writing- the sort of language you would use in papers or while addressing a foreign diplomat
Vernacular
deliberate omission of the use of conjunctions
Asyndeton
vivid appeals to the five senses
Imagery
a direct comparison between two things using "like" or "as"
Simile
ascribing human characteristics to that which is not human
Personification
a statement that contradicts itself, or must be both true and untrue at the same time. Paradoxes are quirks in logic that demonstrate how our thinking sometimes goes haywire, even when we use perfectly logical reasoning to get there
Paradox
the deliberate use of many conjunctions
Polysyndeton
a figure of speech that makes a weaker statement than a situation seems to call for
Understatement
an extended point-by-point comparison drawn between two things that are alike in many ways
Analogy
the reference to a statement, person, place, or event from any field of discipline
Allusion
makes a statement
Declarative sentence
a sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose
Rhetorical fragment
shorthand substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name
Antonomasia
the author's attitude toward the subject
Tone
informal use of language- acceptable in casual speaking situations, but not in formal writing or presentations
Jargon
gives a command
Imperative sentence
questions that do not expect answers
Rhetorical question
the use of words intended to convey a meaning opposite of their literal meaning
Irony
an exaggeration
Hyperbole
informal use of language- acceptable in casual speaking situations, but not in formal writing or presentations
Colloquial language or slang
asks a question
Interrogative sentence
an especially long, complex, multi-faced sentence not to be confused with a run-on necessarily
Labyrinthine sentence