Lit Terms 3

Anecdote A short narrative account of an amusing, unusual, revealing, or interesting event. A good anecdote has a single, definite point, and the setting, dialogue, and characters are usually subordinate to the point of the story. Ex: At the beginning of a speech about fire safety, the speaker tells a short cautionary tale about a serious injury that occurred as a result of not following protocol.

Pun A play on two words similar in sound but different in meaning. Ex After periodic doubts about his vocational calling, the young chemistry teacher concluded he was out of his element. The church choir robes were too long and needed to be hymned.

Idiom An expression in one language that cannot be closely matched or translated easily into another language. Ex A Chip on your shoulder Sick as a dog Pay the piper

Connotation The implied definition of a word- goes beyond the literal definition. Ex Cheap, Frugal, Miserly, Economical Confident, Secure, Proud, Egotistical

Denotation The minimal, strict definition of a word as found in a dictionary, disregarding any historical or emotional connotation. Ex House vs home Vizzini: He didn't fall? Inconceivable. Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. (The Princess Bride, 1987)

Rhetorical Question a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered. Ex "If practice makes perfect, and no one's perfect, then why practice?" (Billy Corgan) "Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do 'practice'?" (George Carlin)

Figurative Language Language that contains or uses figures of speech Similes Metaphors Etc Ex Her head was spinning from all the new information. The toast jumped out of the toaster. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

Purpose The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. 3 main purposes: To inform To persuade To entertain

Compare To point out/discover similarities between things.

Contrast To point out/discover differences between things.

Inference A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Main Idea the main points of a speech; the subtopics of a speech..

Supporting Detail Details that give more information about and support the main idea.