Aug 5 2013

2016-2020 WAEC/NECO/JAMB LITERATURE (3)…INDEX OF LITERARY TERMS AND CONCEPTS (A)

Chimamanda-Ngozi-Adichie

LITERARY TERMS AND CONCEPTS FOR APPRECIATION

1. Literary concepts and terms as in mathematics refer to those ideas and words used in literature in a specially understood or defined sense. They are not strictly figurative language only but literary devices and methods of expression in literature (prose,poetry and drama), which enable a student to read a literary work with appreciative understanding and enjoyment. It is also helpful that a reader recognizes any terminology used therein which may have a stated or implied purpose and style for giving some basic or critical analysis of a given text.

2. Literary concepts, terms and appreciation inculcate all forms, elements, techniques, sounds and sense of literature (prose, poetry, and drama). However literary appreciation is concerned with the acquisition of the artistic skills needed to react instantaneously to any literary work in the various genres of literature. There are specific skills needed for each genre and there are also basic principles and concepts which cut across the genres. Regardless of the genres literary appreciation is a test of comprehension and analysis of the theme, subject, matter, use of figurative and non-figurative language. It also covers features of a given passage. In WAEC/NECO exams the objective is to decide the total input of the excerpt in question.

3. A figure of speech is any departure from the literal (i.e ordinary) use of a word or phrase. You will find below perhaps the most comprehensive set of literary concepts and terms ever compiled in any Nigerian literature textbook or write-up for WAEC/NECO/JAMB Literature exams. Here they are presented for your entertainment, emotional therapy, education and understanding of English language as a second or foreign language. They can be used in speeches to correct ills of the society,for creative use of English language generally.They can also be used for defining or shaping the opinions of your readers. Lest we forget they are also useful for WAEC/NECO/JAMB exam!

EDUPEDIA’S EXTRACTED LIST OF LITERARY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

(TEACHERS TO PLEASE POINT OUT TO STUDENTS THOSE MOST RELEVANT)

A	C	D (CONTD.)	H
ABSURD	CALYPSIS	DRAMATIC FORMS	HENDIADYS
ACCENT	CARICATURE	DRAMATIC IRONY	HEPTASTICH
ACT	CAST	DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE	HERO
ACTOR	CATASTROPHE	DRAMATIC PERSONAE	HEROINE
ADAPTATION	CARHARSIS	DYNAMIC CHARACTER	HEROIC DRAMA
ADDRESS	CAESURA	DYSTOPIA	HYPERBOLE
ADDRESSEE	CHANT	DRAMATIC CONVENTIONS	HOMONYMS
ADDRESSER	CHARACTER	DRAMATURGY	HOMOPHONES
AESTHETICS	CHARACTERIZATION	E	HUBRIS
ALLEGORY	CHARACTER TRAITS	EDITION	HUMOUR
ALIENATION	CHIASMUS	ELECTRA COMPLEX	I
ALLITERATION	CHORUS	ELERGY	IDIOMS
ALLUSION	CLASSICS	EMPATHY	IDYLL
AMBIGUITY	CLICHÉ	ENALLAGE	IMAGERY
ANACHRONISM	CLIMAX	END RHYME	IMAGINATION
ANAGRAM	CLOWN	ENJAMBMENT	IMMITATION
ANALOGY	COHERENCE	EPANALEPSIS	IMPROVISATION
ANECDOTE	COINAGE	EPIC	INUENDO
ANTAGONIST	COMEDY	EPIGRAM	INTENT
ANTHOLOGY	COMIC RELIEF	EPILOGUE	INTRODUSTORY SEGMENT
ANTICLIMAX	COMPLEX PLOT	EPISODE	INSIGHT
ANTI-HERO	COUTURE	EPISTLE	INTENT
ANTONOMASIA	CONFESSIONAL	EPITAPH	J
APOSTROPHE	CONFLICTS	EPITHET	JARGON
ARCHAIC EXPRESSIONS/ARCHAISM	CONNOTATION	EPITHALAMION	JEREMIAD
ARTIST	CONTEMPORARY	EPONYMOUS	JOURNAL
ARTISTE	CONTRAST	EULOGY	L
ASIDE	COPYRIGHT	EUPHEMISM	LAMENTATION
ASSONANCE	COSTUMES	EUPHONY	LAMPOON
ATMOSPHERE	COUPLET	EXAGGERATION	LANGUAGE
AUDIENCE	COUP-DE-GRACE	EXISTENTIALISM	LAY
AUDITION	COUP-DE-THEATRE	EXPOSITION	LEGEND
AUTHOR	CUE	EXTRACT	LIMERICK
AUTOBIOGRAPHY	CURTAIN	EXCERPT	LITERARY
AVANT GARDE	CURTAIN-RAISER		LITERATI
	CYNICISM		LITOTES
			LOCAL COLOR
			LOCATE
			LYRIC
B	D	F	M
BALLAD	DEJA VU	FABLE	MAGIC
BALLET	DENOTATION	FARCE	MAKE-UP
BAND	DENOUEMENT	FICTION	MALAPROPISM
BARD	DESIGNER	FIRST PERSON STYLE	MAKE BELIEVE
BATHOS	DESTINY	FLASH BACK	MANUSCRIPT
BELLES-LETTERS	DIALOGUE	FLAWS	MELODRAMA
BIBLIOGRAPHY	DIDACTIC POEM	FOIL	MEMOIR
BILLET-DOUX	DILEMMA	FORE GROUNDING	METER
BLANK VERSE	DIRECTOR	FORE SHADOWING	METONYMY
BOMBAST	DIRGE	FORWARD	MILIEU
BON MOT	DOCUMENTARY	FREE VERSE	MIMICRY
BURLESQUE	DRAMA		MEIOSIS
		G	MISE EN SCENE
		GENRE	MNEMONIC
		GESTURES	MONODRAMA
		GLOSSARY	MONODY
		GRAFFITI	MONOLOGUE
		GREEK/LATIN/FRENCH EXPRESSIONS	MOOD
			MUSES
			MYSTIQUE
			MYTH