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AP Nonfiction Terms
AP Nonfiction Terms and Vocabulary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| absolute | a term applied to anything that cannot be modified, qualified, or limited (unique, never, always, perfect) |
| abstract language | language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people or places (love, honor, liberty) |
| acerbic | acid in temper, mood, or tone |
| adjective | words that describe nouns or pronouns telling which one, what kind, and how many |
| adverb | a word ususally serving as a midifier and expressing some relation of manner/quality/place/time/degree/number/cause/opposition/affirmation/denial and also serving to connect and express comment on clause content |
| alliteration | the purposeful repition of initial consonant sounds |
| allusion | a reference to something/one well known |
| analogy | explanation based upon a comparison that explains or describes one subject by pointing out its similarities to another subject |
| anaphora | repitition device, in which the same word/expression is repeated at the beginning of 2+ lines/clauses/sentences for effect |
| anecdote | a short, often autobiographical, narrative told to achieve a purpose such as to prvide an example/illustration/thematic truth |
| antecedent | the word preceding a pronoun to which it refers |
| antithesis | a direct contrast of structurally parallel word groupings, to contrast; in argumentation, a second argument/principle brought forward to oppose a first proposition or thesis |
| aphorism | staement of general principle, memorably espressed by condensing much wisdom into few words |
| apostrophe | figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an inanimate object, absent person, or personified quality |
| attitude | the author's feelings toward a subject that is revealed by the tone |
| avarice | greed |
| chiasmus | parallel structure in inverted form (not a-b-a-b but, a-b-b-a) |
| conceit | elaborate, complex metaphor or simile comparing two extremely dissimilar things |
| circular reasoning | form of fallacy, 'begging the question', may seem OK but merely assumes what it is trying to prove |
| concrete example | characterized by or belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events that are specific, particular, real, tangible |
| cumulative sentence | aka loose sentence, makes sense if ended before the actual end, begins with the main idea(s) and expands adding details/particulars |
| cynicism | having/showing atitude of contemptous distrust of human nature and motives reflecting belief that human conduct primarily motivated by self-interest |
| deductive reasoning | inference in which the conclusion follows grom general premises (general -> specific) |
| detached | exhibiting an aloof objectivity, ususally free from prejudice or self-interest |
| didactic | term used to describe writing/stories that teaches a lesson/moral or provides an example of correct behavior/thinking. tone intended to instruct or moralize |
| elevated language | being morally or intellectually on a high plane |
| ellipsis | the deliberate omission of word(s) implid by context and parallel structure |
| fanciful | marked by unrestrained imagination rather than by reason and experience |
| hyperbole | a deliberate exaggeration or overstatement |
| imagery | descriptive or figurative language used to appeal to the senses |
| indict | to charge with a fault, offense, or crime |
| inductive reasoning | inference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances (specific -> general) |
| jocular | jesting, playful, jolly |
| loose sentence | aka cumulative sentence, makes sense if brought to a close before its actual ending |
| metaphor | a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else |
| metaphysical | of or relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses |
| metonymy | figure of speech in which the name of one object is subsituted for that of another closely related object |
| mock epic | a narrative poem that parodies the epic form and is usually used for satire |
| objective | independent of individual bias or subjectivity |
| oxymoron | a two-word figure of speech that combines two opposing/contradicting ideas |
| parable | a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle |
| paradox | an assertion semmingly opposed to common sense, but may still have truth in it |
| paralleliam | the repitition of grammatical structure |
| periodic sentence | a sentence that places the main idea/ central thought at the end of the sentence, after all introductory elements, creates suspense |
| personification | a type of figurative language in which a non-human subject is given human characteristics |
| pun | a play on words based on different meanings of words that sound alike |
| proselytize | to recruit or convert especially to a new faith, institution, or cause |
| prudence | good judgment; sagacity or shrewdness in management of affairs |
| qualifier | a word (like usually, almost, often) or word group that limits or modifies the meaning of another word(s) |
| simile | figure of sppech that uses like or as to make a comparison between basically unlike objects |
| subjective | modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background; biased |
| subjunctive mood | expressed by verb forms (plural) that represent a state not as fact but as contigent or possible such as with doubt or desire (I wish i were you, if I were you,...) |
| surreal | having the intense irrationality of a dream, unlike/beyond reality |
| syllepsis | a construction in which one word seems to be in the same grammatical relation to 2+ words but, in fact, one is not (He lost both his coat and his temper) one is literal the other figurative |
| syllogism | a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion (If A is true, and B is true, than C must be true) |
| synecdoche | a form of metaphor in which a part of something is used to stand for the whole thing |
| synesthesia | the concurrent response of 2+ of the senses to the stimulation of one (blue note, loud shirt) |
| tautology | unnecessary repitition of words (free gift, future plans) |
| verbal | a verb not acting as a verb but as a describer, an adjective, or a noun |
Created by:
dianae3
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