English Language and Literature terminology

Description

Terminology for A2 English Language and Literature.
sophiearthurton
Flashcards by sophiearthurton, updated more than 1 year ago
sophiearthurton
Created by sophiearthurton almost 8 years ago
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Resource summary

Question Answer
Adjacency pairs Linked responses. E.g. How are you? Fine thanks. Are you ready? Not quite. Ok. See you later.
Asyndetic list No Conjunction like 'and' or 'but'. E.g. she was tall, strong, clever, determined.
Syndetic list Has conjunction like 'and'. E.g. He had potatoes, carrots and peas.
Reported speech When a speaker's words are referred to but not quoted verbatim. E.g. she said she was fed up with his attitude.
Micropause A very short pause in a spoken text often indicated in transcripts by a (.). E.g. I suppose.I might try and behave.if I can.
Phatic speech Friendly often meaningless chit-chat to make contact go smoothly. E.g. nice day today.
Register Language which fits a context. E.g. formal, informal, colloquial etc. I would like to apply for the position advertised on your website. How about a few drinks tonight, down the pub?
Repair A self correction in spontaneous speech. E.g. 'I don't like... I'm not sure I'm very fond of English'.
Rhetoric The technique of using language to persuade people. E.g. political speeches: 'I believe in hope! I believe in the people! I believe in America!' (This is called the rule of three and is a very common rhetorical device).
Rhetorical questions Questions asked with no intention that anyone should answer them. E.g. Hamlet: ‘What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?’
First person First person: ‘I’. e.g. I was born in a little town in Sussex.
Second person Second person: ‘you’. E.g. You should have done that, shouldn’t you?
Third person Third person: he/she/it. E.g. She did not believe what she saw.
Semantic field Group of words relating to the same topic. E.g. medicine, the law, education, films etc E.g. She collected the bandages from the paramedic in the ambulance, laid him on the stretcher and listened to his heart with a stethoscope .
Sibilance Special case of alliteration, it means repeated use of the letter or sound ‘s’. E.g. ‘the hissing of summer lawns’.
Soliloquy A speech delivered by a character on stage who is alone. E.g. famously in Hamlet: ‘To be or not to be…’
Synonym A word which means the same as another word. E.g. ‘begin’ and ‘commence’. Sometimes words are synonyms but have different connotations: E.g.’ consider ‘smile’ and ‘grin’.
Text Text is used to mean any piece of written or spoken communication. E.g. a novel, a speech, a bit of a play, a transcript of a phone call etc.
Accent A set of distinctive pronunciations that mark regional or social identity.
Active voice A grammatical structure in which the subject is the actor of the sentence. E.g. the dog eats the bone.
Adjective A word that modifies a noun or pronoun.
Adverb A word that modifies verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions and prepositions.
Alliteration The repetition of the same sound in the initial position in a sequence of words.
Allusion To refer to something indirectly or metaphorically.
Archaisms A word or phrase no longer in current use.
Aspirants Sounds that denote audible breath e.g. h.
Assonance A repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds.
Auxiliary / Modal verbs A verb that precedes another verb e.g. I can go.
Bilabials Term used to denote sounds made with both lips e.g. m, b.
Caesuras A mid-line pause.
Noun A naming word.
Collective noun A name that refers to a group of people, animals or things.
Proper nouns A name of a distinctive person, place or other unique reference.
Common/concrete noun They refer to things that exist physically - things in which we can see and feel (everyday items). E.g. table, foot, cottage etc.
Abstract noun A name to describe things that have no physical qualities.
Compound adjective An adjective made up of two words joined by a hyphen.
Conceit A deliberately elaborate metaphor.
Context Things outside the text which may shape its meaning. E.g. when it was written, and who wrote it.
Co-ordinating conjunction A word that joins elements of equal rank (and, or, but).
Declarative mood A mood used to express a statement.
Definite article 'The'.
Deictic Terms used to denote words that rely on the context to be understood. E.g. pass me that, there.
Dialogue Language interaction with two or more participants.
Discourse The study of spoken language.
Double negative A structure in which more than one negative is used.
Dynamic verbs A verb that expresses an action rather than a state.
End-focus A change in the structure of the sentence to place emphasis on a closing sentence element.
Euphemism A word that replaces a term seen by society as taboo or unpleasant.
Exclamatory mood A mood that expresses strong emotions.
Foregrounding A change in the structure of the sentence to place emphasis on an opening sentence element.
Form The structure and shape of the text.
Fricatives Sounds where air escapes through a small passage e.g. f, v.
Hyperbole Exaggeration used to heighten feeling and intensity.
Imagery A descriptive or metaphorical use of language to create a vivid picture.
Imperative mood A mood that expresses a command.
Indefinite article 'A'.
Independent main clause The group of words which carries the core meaning of the sentence.
Interrogative mood A mood expressing a question.
Intonation The quality or tone of the voice in speech.
Juxtaposition To place two or more things side by side.
Lexical set A group of words joined by similarities.
Litotes A deliberate understatement.
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