Some Literary Words

 

allusion: "An indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work, the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader’s familiarity with what is thus mentioned. The technique of allusion is an economical means of calling upon the history or the literary tradition that author and reader are assumed to share. . . ." (CB)

• An indirect reference to something; a hint: "This book about American history makes a brief allusion to the ancient Greek idea of democracy."
• A statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly; an implied or indirect reference: "She made an allusion to her first marriage, but she said nothing more revealing about it."

An allusion is never an outright or explicit mention of the person or thing the speaker seems to have in mind.

Analogy: illustration of an idea by means of a more familiar idea that is similar or parallel to it in some significant features, and thus said to be analogous to it. Analogies are often presented in the form of an extended simile, as in Blake's aphorism:

• ‘As the caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys.’

In literary history, an analogue is another story or plot which is parallel or similar in some way to the story under discussion.

ana-, an-, ano- (Greek: up, upward; back, backward, against; again, anew; used as a prefix).

Anecdote: A brief story of an interesting story

• "Have you noticed that many public speakers begin their talks with humorous anecdotes?"
• "Jane told an anecdote about her early childhood." "Is there an antidote for strychnine poisoning?"

dos-, dot- + (Greek > Latin: to give; a giving, a gift).

Archetype: A typical, ideal, or classic example of something. Something that served as the model or pattern for other things of the same type. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype.

An ideal example of a type; quintessence:

·       "She was an archetype of the successful educator."

archaeo-, archeo-, archae-, arche-, archa-, archi-, -arch (Greek: original [first in time], beginning, first cause, origin, ancient, primitive, from the beginning; most basic). (one match, page 4)

typo-, typ-, -type (Greek > Latin: to beat, to strike; a blow; a dent, an impression, a mark, original form; a mold; a figure, an image, a form, a kind).

cliché, cliche (klee SHAY): An expression or idea that has become trite (worn out or overly used) and so is no longer original:

·       "The speech was littered one cliché after another all of which dated the speaker."

"The macho cop representations of Hollywood movies have become a cliché."

 

Colloquial: Informal expression appropriate to everyday speech rather than formal writing. Appropriate to, used in or characteristic of spoken language or of writing that is used to create the effect of conversation; belonging to common speech as opposed to formal speaking.

Characteristic of or proper to, ordinary conversation; such as, being distinguished from formal or elevated language.

-al [-ial, -eal] (Latin: a suffix; pertaining to, like, of the kind of, relating to, characterized by, belonging to; action of, process of).

loqu-, -loquence, -loquent, -loquently, -loquy, -iloquent, -iloquently + (Latin: talk, speak, say).

Colloqualism: the use of informal expressions appropriate to everyday speech rather than to the formality of writing, and differing in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar. An example is Kipling's ballad beginning

When 'Omer smote ‘is bloomin’ lyre

He'd 'eard men sing by land and sea;

An' what he thought 'e might require,

‘E went an’took—the same as me!

Connotation (kon" uh TAY shuhn): An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing:

·       "For some people, the word fat has a negative connotation."

The set of associations implied by a word in addition to its literal meaning: "The word childlike has a connotation of innocence or of being a pest."

Denotation (dee" noh TAY shuhn): Something signified or referred to; a particular meaning of a symbol, word, or phrase: "The word has one literal denotation but several different connotations."

Foreshadowing: A technique whereby an event or incident is indicated beforehand when the author includes hints or clues about the main events of the story.  Showing, indicating, suggesting or hinting before-hand of what is to occur later in a literary work.

Flashback: A scene inserted into a fictional work representing an earlier event or happening; a narrative device that goes back in time to an incident occurring in the past.

Hyperbole (high PUR buh lee): An extravagant overstatement or exaggerated language that distorts facts by making them much bigger than they are if looked at objectively:

·       "Too much use of hyperbole can cast doubt on anything a person says."

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect as illustrated by these statements of hyperbole:

·       "I'm so tired, I could sleep for a year."

·       "This book weighs a ton."

·       "I could eat a million of these cookies."

·       "It is taking an eternity to finish the research!"

hyperbole (high PUR buh lee) : Exaggeration for effect; overstatement. Not to be taken literally; a figure of speech, or a distortion of what is real.

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect:

• Examples:
• Thanks a million;
• Stubborn as a mule;
• Strong as an ox;
• Big as a whale.

 

Irony (s), ironies (pl): The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning.

A literary style employing such contrasts for humorous or rhetorical effect: Something that happens that is incongruous with what might be expected to happen; especially, when this seems absurd or laughable.

Irony differs from deception in that the ironist intends for the hearer to reconstruct his attitude from the ironic utterance. It has long been noted that ironic statements are frequently spoken with a marked intonation, often termed

• "the ironic tone of voice".

As stated earlier, irony is an expression of something which is contrary to the intended meaning; the words say one thing but mean something else. Here is a classical example of an ironic statement as seen in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar when Mark Antony ironically stated: "Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man."

iron-, ironi- (Greek > Latin > Old French > French: pretended ignorance ).

Metaphor: Comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as" .  A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another; therefore, making an implicit comparison.

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

• "Hollywood has always been an irresistible, prefabricated metaphor for the crass, the materialistic, the shallow, and the craven."

—Neal Gabler, New York Times Book Review, November 23, 1986.

meta-, met-, meth- (Greek: after, behind; changed in form, altered; higher [used to designate a higher degree of a branch of science]). phoro-, phor-, -phora, -phorous, -phoresis, -phore, -phori, -phoria + (Greek > Latin: bearer, to bear, carrying; producing, transmission; directing, turning; originally to carry or to bear children).

motif (moh TEEF): An underlying pattern which a story may have in common with another stories. A recurring detail or idea in a work of art:

• "The flower motif in the panel over the fireplace was beautifully painted."

 

oxymoron (s), oxymora (pl): A phrase in which two words of contradictory meaning are used together for special effect; such as,

• "deafening silence",
• "wise fool", or
• "legal murder".

A figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in

• “cruel kindness” or
• “to make haste slowly.”

From Greek, ὀξύμωρον (oxymoron), from ὀξύς (oxys, "sharp") plus μωρός (moros, "stupid"). Also explained as, oxymoron, noun use of the adjective oxymoros, "pointedly foolish", from oxys "sharp" plus moros "stupid."

A rhetorical figure by which contradictory terms are conjoined so as to give a special point to a statement or expression; the word itself is an illustration of the term being presented. Now it is often used loosely to mean "a contradiction in terms."

Parable: A brief tale illustrating an allegorical lesson or moral.

-able: (Latin: a suffix, expressing capacity, fitness to do that which can be handled or managed, suitable skills to accomplish something; capable of being done, something which can be finished, etc.).

ballo-, ball-, balo-, bolo-, bol-, -bola, -bole, -bolic, -bolism, -bolite, -boly (Greek: throw, send, put; that which is thrown).

(Greek: by the side of, beside, past, beyond; contrary, wrong, irregular, abnormal).

Personification: Giving human attributes to inanimate objects.

Plot: A plan or scheme; an arrangement of events in a literary

Rhetoric: The art of writing or speaking.

Subplot: A secondary line of action in a literary work that often comments directly or indirectly on the main plot.

Symbol (SIM buhl): Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible:

• "While discussing the planets, the teacher used an orange as a symbol for the sun and small rubber balls as symbols for the planets."

In psychology, an object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to represent repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses:

• "The tall tree was a symbol for the patient representing strength and independence."

syn-, sy-, sym-, syl-, sys- (Greek: with, together with; also by extension: united; same, similar; at the same time). (one match, page 3)

ballo-, ball-, balo-, bolo-, bol-, -bola, -bole, -bolic, -bolism, -bolite, -boly (Greek: throw, send, put; that which is thrown). (one match, page 3)

Tone: Writer's attitude toward characters, settings, conflicts, etc. It can be silly, thoughtful, chatty, formal, tragic, etc., or it may be more complex mixture of attitudes. Different tones can cause readers to experiences such varying emotions as pity, fear, horror, or humour.

tono-, ton-, -tonia, -tonic, -tonous, -tony (sound) + (Latin: sound, tone; [from Greek tonos, "that which is stretched, a stretching, a straining, pitch of the voice, musical note"]). (two matches, page 2) tono-, -tonia, -tone, -tony, -tonic, -tonical (tension) + (Greek: tonos = tension, pressure).

Versimilutude (N): The quality of appearing to be true or real. See synonyms at truth. Something that has the appearance of being true or real.

protagonist (proh TAG uh nist): The most important, or primary, character (good or evil) in a novel, play, story, or other literary work: "The protagonist had to defend himself against the opposition of the antagonist."

An antagonist is really someone opposed to another person, an "opponent".

antagonist (an TAG uh nist): Someone, or something, opposing or in conflict with another person or thing; an opponent: "His antagonist in the debate was smarter than he was."

A major character in a book, play, or movie whose values or behaviors are in conflict with those of the primary character, or hero: "The objective of the antagonist in the story was to destroy the protagonist in battle."

Conflict: A clash or opposition of forces, actions, ideas, desires or wills. The main character may be in opposition with some other person or group of persons:

person-against-person: he may be in conflict with some external force - physical natura, society, or fate:

person against environment; or

he may be in a struggle with some element of his own nature.

person-against-self:

Conflicts may be physical, mental, emotional or moral.

flic-, flig- (Latin: strike, to strike down; to destroy, dashed down, damaged).