Fable - Hysteron Proteron
A glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms, from FABLE to HYSTERON PROTERON. Click on a term for definitions, examples, word history, pronunciation guide, and links to related articles.
fable
A short narrative meant to teach a moral lesson.
A short narrative meant to teach a moral lesson.
fallacy
An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid.
An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid.
false analogy
A fallacy in which an argument is based on misleading, superficial, or implausible comparisons.
A fallacy in which an argument is based on misleading, superficial, or implausible comparisons.
false dilemma
A fallacy of oversimplification that offers a limited number of options (usually two) when in reality more options are available.
A fallacy of oversimplification that offers a limited number of options (usually two) when in reality more options are available.
false friends
An informal term in linguistics for pairs of words in two languages that look and/or sound the same but have different meanings.
An informal term in linguistics for pairs of words in two languages that look and/or sound the same but have different meanings.
familiar essay
A short prose composition (a type of creative nonfiction) characterized by the personal quality of the writing and the distinctive voice or persona of the essayist.
A short prose composition (a type of creative nonfiction) characterized by the personal quality of the writing and the distinctive voice or persona of the essayist.
family slang
Words and phrases created, used, and generally understood only by the members of a family.
Words and phrases created, used, and generally understood only by the members of a family.
figurative language
Language in which figures of speech (such as metaphors, similes, and hyperbole) freely occur.
Language in which figures of speech (such as metaphors, similes, and hyperbole) freely occur.
figures of speech
The various uses of language that depart from customary construction, order, or significance.
The various uses of language that depart from customary construction, order, or significance.
filler
See "embolalia."
See "embolalia."
finite verb
A form of the verb with a distinction in tense. A finite verb works with the subject of a sentence to give a sense of completeness.
A form of the verb with a distinction in tense. A finite verb works with the subject of a sentence to give a sense of completeness.
flashback
A shift in a narrative to an earlier event that interrupts the normal chronological development of a story.
A shift in a narrative to an earlier event that interrupts the normal chronological development of a story.
folk etymology
Change in the form of a word or phrase resulting from a mistaken assumption about its composition or meaning.
Change in the form of a word or phrase resulting from a mistaken assumption about its composition or meaning.
foreigner talk
A simplified version of a language that is sometimes used by native speakers when addressing non-native speakers.
A simplified version of a language that is sometimes used by native speakers when addressing non-native speakers.
fragment
A group of words that begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point but is grammatically incomplete.
A group of words that begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point but is grammatically incomplete.
free morpheme
A morpheme (or word element) that can stand alone as a word.
A morpheme (or word element) that can stand alone as a word.
freewriting
A discovery (or prewriting) strategy intended to encourage the development of ideas without concern for the conventional rules of grammar and usage.
A discovery (or prewriting) strategy intended to encourage the development of ideas without concern for the conventional rules of grammar and usage.
frequentative
See "iterative."
See "iterative."
fronting
Any construction in which a word group that customarily follows the verb is placed at the beginning of a sentence.
Any construction in which a word group that customarily follows the verb is placed at the beginning of a sentence.
functional shift
See "conversion."
See "conversion."
function word
A word that expresses a grammatical relationship.
A word that expresses a grammatical relationship.
fused sentence
A sentence in which two independent clauses are run together (or "fused") without an appropriate conjunction or mark of punctuation between them.
A sentence in which two independent clauses are run together (or "fused") without an appropriate conjunction or mark of punctuation between them.
future perfect tense
A verb tense that expresses action completed by a specified time in the future.
A verb tense that expresses action completed by a specified time in the future.
future progressive
A verb construction (made up of the verb phrase "will be" or "shall be" plus a present participle) that conveys a sense of ongoing action in the future.
A verb construction (made up of the verb phrase "will be" or "shall be" plus a present participle) that conveys a sense of ongoing action in the future.
future tense
A verb tense indicating action that has not yet begun.
A verb tense indicating action that has not yet begun.
gadzookery
The use of archaic words or expressions.
The use of archaic words or expressions.
gapping
A construction in which part of a sentence is omitted rather than repeated.
A construction in which part of a sentence is omitted rather than repeated.
gambler's fallacy
A fallacy in which an inference is drawn on the assumption that a series of chance events will determine the outcome of a subsequent event.
A fallacy in which an inference is drawn on the assumption that a series of chance events will determine the outcome of a subsequent event.
gender
A grammatical classification which in English applies primarily to the third-person singular personal pronouns.
A grammatical classification which in English applies primarily to the third-person singular personal pronouns.
generalization
See "broadening."
See "broadening."
generative grammar
In linguistics, a grammar (or set of rules) that indicates the structure and interpretation of sentences which native speakers of a language accept as belonging to the language.
In linguistics, a grammar (or set of rules) that indicates the structure and interpretation of sentences which native speakers of a language accept as belonging to the language.
generative metaphor
See "conceptual metaphor."
See "conceptual metaphor."
generic pronoun
A personal pronoun that includes both masculine and feminine, such as "they" in English.
A personal pronoun that includes both masculine and feminine, such as "they" in English.
generification
The process of using specific brand names of products as names for the products in general.
The process of using specific brand names of products as names for the products in general.
genitive case
See "possessive case."
See "possessive case."
genre
A category of artistic composition, as in film or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content.
A category of artistic composition, as in film or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content.
gerund
A verbal ending in "-ing" that functions in a sentence as a noun.
A verbal ending in "-ing" that functions in a sentence as a noun.
ghost word
A word that has never occurred in actual usage but that appears in one or more dictionaries, usually because of a lexicographical or typographical error.
A word that has never occurred in actual usage but that appears in one or more dictionaries, usually because of a lexicographical or typographical error.
Global English
(1) The use of the English language as a common means of communication across cultures--a lingua franca. (2) A form of English used in texts intended for an international audience.
(1) The use of the English language as a common means of communication across cultures--a lingua franca. (2) A form of English used in texts intended for an international audience.
glossary
An alphabetized list of specialized terms with their definitions.
An alphabetized list of specialized terms with their definitions.
glottal stop
In phonetics, a stop sound made by rapidly closing the vocal cords.
In phonetics, a stop sound made by rapidly closing the vocal cords.
gobbledygook
Inflated, jargon-cluttered prose that fails to communicate clearly.
Inflated, jargon-cluttered prose that fails to communicate clearly.
gradability
The semantic property of an adjective that identifies different levels or degrees of the quality it denotes.
The semantic property of an adjective that identifies different levels or degrees of the quality it denotes.
gradatio
Sentence construction in which the last word of one clause becomes the first of the next, through three or more clauses.
Sentence construction in which the last word of one clause becomes the first of the next, through three or more clauses.
gradience
The quality of indeterminacy (or blurred boundaries) on a graduated scale connecting two linguistic elements.
The quality of indeterminacy (or blurred boundaries) on a graduated scale connecting two linguistic elements.
grammar
The systematic study and description of a language.
The systematic study and description of a language.
grammarian
A specialist in the grammar of one or more languages.
A specialist in the grammar of one or more languages.
grammatical category
A class of units (such as noun and verb) or features (such as number and case) that share a common set of grammatical properties.
A class of units (such as noun and verb) or features (such as number and case) that share a common set of grammatical properties.
grammatical meaning
The meaning that is conveyed by word order and other grammatical signals.
The meaning that is conveyed by word order and other grammatical signals.
grammatical metaphor
The substitution of one grammatical class or structure for another.
The substitution of one grammatical class or structure for another.
grapheme
A letter of the alphabet or mark of punctuation.
A letter of the alphabet or mark of punctuation.
graphology
(1) The study of handwriting as a means of analyzing character. (2) A branch of linguistics that studies writing and print as systems of signs.
(1) The study of handwriting as a means of analyzing character. (2) A branch of linguistics that studies writing and print as systems of signs.
Great Vowel Shift
The systemic change in the pronunciation of English vowels (in phonetic terms, the raising and fronting of the long, stressed monophthongs) that occurred in southern England during the late Middle English period
The systemic change in the pronunciation of English vowels (in phonetic terms, the raising and fronting of the long, stressed monophthongs) that occurred in southern England during the late Middle English period
Grimm's Law
A statement of the relationship between certain consonants in Germanic languages and their originals in Indo-European.
A statement of the relationship between certain consonants in Germanic languages and their originals in Indo-European.
group genitive
A possessive construction (such as "The man next door's cat") in which 's appears at the end of a noun phrase whose final word is not its head or is not its only head.
A possessive construction (such as "The man next door's cat") in which 's appears at the end of a noun phrase whose final word is not its head or is not its only head.
hasty generalization
A fallacy in which a conclusion is not logically justified by sufficient or unbiased evidence.
A fallacy in which a conclusion is not logically justified by sufficient or unbiased evidence.
head
In a phrase, the word that determines the nature of the phrase--such as the noun in a noun phrase.
In a phrase, the word that determines the nature of the phrase--such as the noun in a noun phrase.
header
A noun phrase or clause positioned in front of a clause and followed by one or more pronouns that refer back to the noun phrase.
A noun phrase or clause positioned in front of a clause and followed by one or more pronouns that refer back to the noun phrase.
hedge
See "verbal hedge."
See "verbal hedge."
helping verb
See "auxiliary verb."
See "auxiliary verb."
hendiadys
A figure of speech in which two words joined by the conjunction "and" express an idea that is more commonly expressed by an adjective and a substantive.
A figure of speech in which two words joined by the conjunction "and" express an idea that is more commonly expressed by an adjective and a substantive.
heteronyms
Words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings. See "homographs."
Words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings. See "homographs."
historic present tense
The use of a verb phrase in the present tense to refer to an event that took place in the past.
The use of a verb phrase in the present tense to refer to an event that took place in the past.
holophrase
A single word (such as "Thanks") that is used to express a complete, meaningful thought.
A single word (such as "Thanks") that is used to express a complete, meaningful thought.
homoioteleuton
Similar endings to words, phrases, or sentences.
Similar endings to words, phrases, or sentences.
homographs
Words that have the same spelling but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes pronunciation.
Words that have the same spelling but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes pronunciation.
homonyms
Words that sound alike but have different meanings and/or spellings.
Words that sound alike but have different meanings and/or spellings.
homophones
Two or more words (such as "knew" and "new") that are pronounced the same but differ in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling.
Two or more words (such as "knew" and "new") that are pronounced the same but differ in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling.
hybrid
A word made up of elements (or morphemes) from different languages.
A word made up of elements (or morphemes) from different languages.
hypallage
A figure of speech consisting of an exchange within a statement between (1) the epithets assigned to specific nouns (also known as a "transferred epithet"), or (2) activities associated with certain words or their complements.
A figure of speech consisting of an exchange within a statement between (1) the epithets assigned to specific nouns (also known as a "transferred epithet"), or (2) activities associated with certain words or their complements.
hyperbaton
A figure of speech that uses deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect; also, a figure in which language takes a sudden turn--usually an interruption.
A figure of speech that uses deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect; also, a figure in which language takes a sudden turn--usually an interruption.
hyperbole
A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement.
A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement.
hypercorrection
A pronunciation or grammatical construction produced by mistaken analogy with standard usage out of a desire to be correct.
A pronunciation or grammatical construction produced by mistaken analogy with standard usage out of a desire to be correct.
hypernym
A linguistic term for a word whose meaning includes the meanings of other words.
A linguistic term for a word whose meaning includes the meanings of other words.
hyphen
A short horizontal mark of punctuation ( - ) used between the parts of a compound word or name or between the syllables of a word when divided at the end of a line of text.
A short horizontal mark of punctuation ( - ) used between the parts of a compound word or name or between the syllables of a word when divided at the end of a line of text.
hypocrisis
Exaggerating the gestures or speech habits of another in order to mock him.
Exaggerating the gestures or speech habits of another in order to mock him.
hyponym
A word that contains the meaning of another word; a specific term used to designate a member of a class.
A word that contains the meaning of another word; a specific term used to designate a member of a class.
hypophora
Raising questions and answering them.
Raising questions and answering them.
hypotaxis
An arrangement of phrases or clauses in a dependent or subordinate relationship.
An arrangement of phrases or clauses in a dependent or subordinate relationship.
hysteron proteron
A figure of speech in which the natural or conventional order of words or actions is reversed.
A figure of speech in which the natural or conventional order of words or actions is reversed.