Literary Language 101
This blog post introduces the basics of literary language, covering terms such as anachronism, anthropomorphism, bildungsroman, circumlocution, and more.
Jamie Russo
Building https://t.co/XVXKXGoujR to $50k/mo. Tweets about the journey. Author of The Underdog Paradox.
-
Is anything sexier than vocabulary?
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Literary language 101... -
Anachronism:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Something out of its proper historical time; an error in chronology.
"The movie depicted a medieval knight using a cell phone." -
Anthropomorphism:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Attributing human characteristics or behaviors to non-human entities.
The talking animals in Animal Farm are an example of anthropomorphism. -
Bildungsroman:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A novel that focuses on the coming-of-age or personal growth of the protagonist.
The Catcher in the Rye is a classic bildungsroman. -
Circumlocution:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Using excessive or indirect language to avoid being clear or direct.
"The politician's speech was full of circumlocution." -
Denouement
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
The resolution or outcome of the plot in a story or play.
The denouement of Romeo and Juliet is their tragic deaths. -
Deus ex machina:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A plot device in which a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved by an unexpected intervention.
In Jurassic Park, a T-Rex helps everyone escape Velociraptors in deus ex machina style. -
Enthymeme:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
An argument in which a premise is unstated but implied.
"All dogs are animals, so this dog must be an animal." -
Hamartia:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A fatal flaw or error in judgment that leads to a character's downfall.
Macbeth's hamartia is his ambition. -
Hyperbole:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Exaggeration for effect or emphasis.
"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" -
Malapropism:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
The unintentional misuse of a word that sounds similar to the intended word but has a different meaning.
"She's a real glitterati." (vs "glamorati") -
Metonymy:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Substituting a word for another word that is closely associated with it.
"The White House issued a statement." (instead of "The President issued a statement.") -
Paradox:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A statement that contradicts itself or is absurd, but reveals a deeper truth.
"People who can’t trust, can’t be trusted." -
Pleonasm:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Using more words than necessary to convey a message.
"He added an additional bonus." -
Soliloquy:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A speech in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, usually when alone on stage.
Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' soliloquy is one of the most famous soliloquies in literature. -
Verisimilitude:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
The appearance of being true or real, often used to describe the realism of a work of fiction.
"The author's attention to detail creates a sense of verisimilitude in the story." -
Zeugma:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
A figure of speech in which a word is used in two different senses in the same sentence.
"She broke his car and his heart." -
Thank you for reading.
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) April 4, 2023
Follow me @jamierusso for more.
If you like it, share it.