Textual Features: Language Features Acronym A word created from the initial letters of a phrase or name. eg HIS = Hiroshima International School. Alliteration when the poet uses the same consonant letter at the beginning of a number of words placed close together e.g. The waves washed wistfully against the shore. Allusion A reference within a literary work to a historical, literary, or biblical character, place, or event. For example, the title of William Faulkner s novel The Sound and the Fury alludes to a line from Shakespeare s Macbeth. Assonance Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound. It is different from rhyme as it does not need to be at the end of each line of poetry: eg The man with the tan was the meanest in the land. Caricature A description or characterization that exaggerates or distorts a character s prominent features, usually for purposes of mockery. For example, a cartoon of a gaunt Abraham Lincoln with a giant top hat, a very scraggly beard, and sunken eyes could be considered a caricature. Cliché A cliché is a recognisable word, phrase or a concept that has been used so often that it has lost its power and impact Eg Turn over a new leaf, She s as pure as the driven snow, or snow-capped mountains in the distance. Colloquial language Colloquial language is language that is informal. This can include words as well as phrases. You might use colloquial language when messaging your friends but not in a formal situation such as writing a letter to a business: eg I'm gonna go down to the beach. You wanna come? Consonance Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words. Consonance is very similar to alliteration, but the distinction between the two lies in the placement of the sounds. If the repeated sound is at the start of words, it is alliteration. If it is anywhere else, it is consonance. In most cases, consonance refers to the end sound (like "nk" in blank and think).
Euphemism A euphemism is a word or series of words to replace sad, unpleasant or shocking ideas with softer and nicer expressions. For instance: departure from life is a euphemism for death. She was less favoured by beauty = she was ugly. Emotive language Emotive language is language (in particular adjectives or adverbs) that relate to or refer to emotions: eg Drink Coca-Cola, you'll like it. Foreshadowing An author s deliberate use of hints or suggestions to give a preview of events or themes that do not develop until later in the story. Images such as a storm brewing or a crow landing on a fence post often foreshadow ominous developments in a story. Hyperbole Dramatic exaggeration for effect e.g. I am so hungry I could eat a horse, I ve told you a million times already. Idioms Idioms are figurative phrases that are commonly used in English. Unlike similes and metaphors, there are no rules that define them. We use idioms all the time without even noticing them. Eg It's raining cats and dogs. Literally = cats and dogs are falling from the sky. Figuratively = It is raining heavily. Under the weather. Literally = Standing outside. Figuratively = Not feeling well. Imagery Graphic pictures created by language features e.g. Algae lie still and bloated on the top of the oily blackness of the pond. Imperatives Forceful verbs, ordering someone to do something e.g. Open your mind to injustice, Just Do It!, Buy Now. Irony There are a number of forms of irony. In its simplest definition, irony occurs when someone says one thing but means another. Again, this should not be confused with sarcasm. Irony does not need to be as mocking or insulting as sarcasm. Some examples of simple irony include: e.g. War doesn t hurt anyone. Or: 'It has been a warm summer'. When it has been cold and raining every day. Dramatic Irony Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not. A common example is in 'thriller films' when the audience is aware that the killer is waiting around the corner but the character is unsuspecting. It has the effect of creating tension and
suspense. eg: In Romeo and Juliet the audience know that Juliet is only in a deep sleep, but Romeo does not so he kills himself in grief. Jargon Jargon is particular words that are used and understood only by people who are experts or specifically involved in different groups. Eg skateboarders use jargon like grind, fakie, ollie while business people might use jargon like functionality and proactive. Metaphor When one object through comparison becomes the other object. When a poet continues the comparison over a verse or a number of lines it becomes an extended metaphor eg, The school students were a wild pack of animals. They roared and growled at the teacher, then ripped the playing field to shreds as they rampaged around, chasing and nipping at the ball with their feet. Metonymy Metonymy is a figure of speech whereby the naming of an attribute of a subject is a reference to the whole and a concept associated with that whole. Eg The pen is mightier than the sword. The 'pen' refers to acts written by pen and as such is referring to diplomacy and the 'sword' is referring to military action. Motif A recurring structure, contrast, or other device that develops a literary work s major themes (see below). For example, shadows and darkness are a motif in Charles Dickens s A Tale of Two Cities, a novel that contains many gloomy scenes and settings. Neologism Neologisms are new words invented by social or cultural groups which enter into popular language. 'The Simpsons' provides many examples. Eg Doh! or Bartesque. Onomatopoeia When a writer wants the responder to hear the sounds in the work, so a word is used that echoes the sound e.g. All you could hear was the buzzing of the fly and then squish! Dad squashed the fly. Oxymoron Two contradictory words placed together to make a dramatic point e.g. Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet: Parting is such sweet sorrow, wise fool. Person 1st: I; 2nd: you; 3rd: he or she or they. The second person you when addressed to the responder can be forceful and persuasive. The first person can invite empathy. Personification When a composer transforms a non-human object into a human by giving the object human qualities e.g. The old tree is an aged and tired man /
Its knobbly fingers tremble, reaching out / For its withering brown hat, blown off in the wind. Pun A play on words that uses the similarity in sound between two words with distinctly different meanings. For example, the title of Oscar Wilde s play The Importance of Being Earnest is a pun on the word earnest, which means serious or sober, and the name Ernest. Repetition Repeating key words for effect. Rhetorical questions Rhetorical questions are mostly used in speeches but occasionally in writing they re questions where the audience or reader is not expected to answer. They are usually questions that make a responder think about a point. Eg Do you really expect us to do all this homework? Sarcasm Often referred to as the 'lowest form of wit', sarcasm is sometimes confused with irony. Sarcasm involves saying something that is the opposite of what is really meant. The important difference between the two is that sarcasm is correctly defined as being humorous and deliberately mocking or insulting the object or person towards whom it is directed. Sarcasm is most commonly used in spoken texts. In written texts, sarcasm can be expressed like this: 'Yeah right! Like that's going to happen'. Satire Satire is a technique that ridicules (makes fun of) people or objects in order to point out problems in an attempt to bring about change. Politicians, social structures and racist or prejudiced public opinions and systems are the most common targets of satire. Many important novels such as George Orwell's Animal Farm are political satires designed to both emphasize and ridicule certain elements of society. Animal Farm uses animal characters to play out the ridiculous and unscrupulous nature of Soviet politics. The media is often a target for satire and websites such as The Onion are good places to visit. Eg Madonna's African child shocked by Hollywood: 'more starvation than at home'. This example satirises Hollywood's obsession with appearance and dieting, comparing it to the idea that many Africans face starvation. Sibilants Repetition of the s sound. It can sound soft, relaxing or gentle or even sinister and cold. It all depends on the choice of words and images e.g. sweet scent of mint and basil. Similes A comparison between two objects using like or as e.g 'The school students ran around the playground like a pack of wild animals'. Slang Slang includes informal (or casual) words that are made up and used by
cultural groups: eg Wicked air, bro - Skateboarding slang for getting high in the air. If you come across slang in a text that you are analysing, then it will indicate to you that it is an informal text. Superlatives Superlative adjectives are used when describing three items or more, and express the highest degree of the item you are expressing. They are the most extreme in the group of items. Eg Big, bigger, biggest. Biggest is the superlative. Superlatives are commonly used in advertising. Symbol An object, character, figure, place, or color used to represent an abstract idea or concept. For example, the two roads in Robert Frost s poem The Road Not Taken symbolize the different choices we re given in life. Tone The feelings of the writer. These feelings are conveyed through word choice and imagery e.g. I move into an amazing world. (The tone is one of awe, appreciation and wonder.) Word choice The writer s choice of words affects the tone, the mood and the response of the reader. The words could be sensual (appeal to senses), emotive (emotional and stirring), humorous, descriptive, blunt, harsh etc. The following words are persuasive, direct and warm e.g. Move into its world and feel its magic.