1. Glossary of Lit Terms 2013-2014

2. Abstract Not concrete; based on general principles or theories rather than on specific instances.

3. Aesthetic Beautiful: pleasing in appearance.

4. Allusion Act of alluding: the act of making an indirect reference to somebody or something.

5. Analogy Comparison: a comparison between two things that are similar in some way, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand.

6. Analysis Close examination: the examination of something in detail in order to understand it better or draw conclusions from it.

7. Annotation A critical or explanatory note or body of notes added to a text.

8. Archetype Original model: something that serves as the model or pattern for other things of the same type.

9. Argument Stated point of view: the main point of view expressed in a book, report, or speech.

10. Autobiography Life story written by self: an account of somebody's life written by that person.

11. Catalogue Creating longs lists for poetic or rhetorical effect.

12. Close Reading Looking at a piece of literature closely to analyze every word.

13. Colloquial Ordinary language; not formal; a discussion.

14. Connotation The associated meaning of a word apart from the definition.

15. Context Clues Sources of information outside the word that allow the reader to identify and predict definitions.

16. Definitional Essay Provides a personal commentary on what a word, term, or concept means in depth.

17. Descriptive A spoken or written account of a person, object, or event.

18. Denotation The literal definition of a word.

19. Documentary Non-fiction films about some aspect of reality.

20. Evaluative To examine or judge; appraise.

21. Evocative Bring strong feelings, images, or memories to mind.

22. Expository Writing intended to explain or describe.

23. Figurative Language Expressing ideas indirectly; using figures of speech in writing.

24. Free Verse Open form of poetry; no rhyme, meter, etc.

25. Graphic Organizer Visual representation of concepts, knowledge, or ideas.

26. Gustatory Concerned with tasting or the sense of taste.

27. Imagery Visually descriptive figurative language; allows the reader to paint a picture in their mind.

28. Inference Deduce or conclude from reasoning and evidence.

29. Interpretive Something that explains or defines.

30. Kinetic Of, relating to, or resulting from motion.

31. Literal Words taken in their most basic sense.

32. Literary Analysis The study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.

33. Loose/Periodic Sentence A loose sentence has the main idea first. A periodic sentence has the main idea at the end.

34. Memoir A historial account or biography.

35. Metacognitive Knowing about knowing.

36. Metaphor A comparison without using “like or “as”

37. Motif A reoccuring subject, theme, or idea in literature.

38. Myth A traditional story concerning the history of a people or the origin of a phenomenon.

39. Narrative A spoken or written account of events; a story.

40. Novella A short novel or a long short story.

41. Olfactory Of or relating to the sense of smell.

42. Oral History The collection and study of historical information using sound recordings of interviews with people having personal knowledge of past events.

43. Oxymoron Afigure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

44. Paradox Astatement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory. Example: “You gotta spend money to make money”

45. Parallel Structure Abalance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical structure.

46. Paraphrase Express the meaning of (the writer or speaker or something written or spoken) using different words.

47. Personification The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman.

48. Poetic Literary work in metrical form; verse.

49. Reflection Serious thought or consideration

50. Repetition Saying or writing something again