Main Clause - Oxymoron
A glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms, from MAIN CLAUSE to OXYMORON. Click on a term for definitions, examples, word history, pronunciation guide, and links to related articles.
main clause
A group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. A main clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence.
A group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. A main clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence.
majuscule
See "capital letter."
See "capital letter."
malapropism
Absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.
Absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.
margin
The part of a page outside the main body of text.
The part of a page outside the main body of text.
mass noun
A noun that names things that cannot be counted. A mass noun (also known as a noncount noun) is used only in the singular.
A noun that names things that cannot be counted. A mass noun (also known as a noncount noun) is used only in the singular.
maxim
A compact expression of a general truth or rule of conduct.
A compact expression of a general truth or rule of conduct.
meaning
In semantics, the message conveyed by words, sentences, and symbols in a context.
In semantics, the message conveyed by words, sentences, and symbols in a context.
medium
(1) A channel or system of communication. (2) The means of transmitting information between a speaker or writer (the sender) and an audience (the receiver).
(1) A channel or system of communication. (2) The means of transmitting information between a speaker or writer (the sender) and an audience (the receiver).
meiosis
To belittle, use a degrading epithet, often through a trope of one word; rhetorical understatement.
To belittle, use a degrading epithet, often through a trope of one word; rhetorical understatement.
memoir
A form of creative nonfiction in which an author recounts experiences from his or her life.
A form of creative nonfiction in which an author recounts experiences from his or her life.
memorandum
A short message or record used for internal communication in a business.
A short message or record used for internal communication in a business.
memory
One of the traditional five parts or canons of rhetoric, that which considers methods and devices to aid and improve the memory.
One of the traditional five parts or canons of rhetoric, that which considers methods and devices to aid and improve the memory.
mental grammar
The generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a speaker to produce language that other speakers can understand.
The generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a speaker to produce language that other speakers can understand.
mental lexicon
In psycholinguistics, a person's internalized knowledge of the properties of words.
In psycholinguistics, a person's internalized knowledge of the properties of words.
metalanguage
Language used in talking about language.
Language used in talking about language.
metanalysis
A reinterpretation of the division between words or syntactic units.
A reinterpretation of the division between words or syntactic units.
metaphor
A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something important in common.
A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something important in common.
metathesis
The transposition within a word of letters, sounds, or syllables.
The transposition within a word of letters, sounds, or syllables.
metonym
A word or phrase used in place of another with which it is closely associated.
A word or phrase used in place of another with which it is closely associated.
metonymy
A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty").
A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty").
Middle English
The language spoken in England from about 1100 to 1500.
The language spoken in England from about 1100 to 1500.
minimal pair
Two words that differ in only one sound.
Two words that differ in only one sound.
minor sentence
See "fragment."
See "fragment."
misplaced modifier
Words, phrases, or clauses that do not clearly relate to the word they are intended to modify.
Words, phrases, or clauses that do not clearly relate to the word they are intended to modify.
mixed metaphor
A succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons.
A succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons.
modal
A verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense.
A verb that combines with another verb to indicate mood or tense.
modality
Linguistic devices that indicate the degree to which an observation is possible, probable, likely, certain, permitted, or prohibited.
Linguistic devices that indicate the degree to which an observation is possible, probable, likely, certain, permitted, or prohibited.
Modern English
The English language since about 1500.
The English language since about 1500.
modes of discourse
In composition studies, the four traditional types or categories of written texts: narration, description, exposition, and argument.
In composition studies, the four traditional types or categories of written texts: narration, description, exposition, and argument.
modifier
A word, phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or adverb to limit or qualify the meaning of another word or word group.
A word, phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or adverb to limit or qualify the meaning of another word or word group.
mondegreen
Words that result from the mishearing or misinterpretation of a statement or song lyric.
Words that result from the mishearing or misinterpretation of a statement or song lyric.
monologophobia
A fear of using a word more than once in a single sentence or even in a single paragraph.
A fear of using a word more than once in a single sentence or even in a single paragraph.
monologue
A speech or composition presenting the words or thoughts of a single character.
A speech or composition presenting the words or thoughts of a single character.
mononym
A one-word name (such as "Oprah" or "Prince") by which a person or thing is known.
A one-word name (such as "Oprah" or "Prince") by which a person or thing is known.
mood
The quality of a verb that conveys the writer's attitude toward a subject.
The quality of a verb that conveys the writer's attitude toward a subject.
morpheme
A meaningful linguistic unit (a word or a word element) that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts.
A meaningful linguistic unit (a word or a word element) that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts.
morphology
The branch of linguistics (and one of the major components of grammar) that studies word structures, especially in terms of morphemes.
The branch of linguistics (and one of the major components of grammar) that studies word structures, especially in terms of morphemes.
mother tongue
A person's native language--that is, a language learned from birth.
A person's native language--that is, a language learned from birth.
motif
A recurring theme or verbal pattern in a single text or a number of different texts.
A recurring theme or verbal pattern in a single text or a number of different texts.
motto
(1) A word, phrase, or sentence that expresses an attitude, ideal, or guiding principle associated with the organization to which it belongs. (2) A brief saying or proverb.
(1) A word, phrase, or sentence that expresses an attitude, ideal, or guiding principle associated with the organization to which it belongs. (2) A brief saying or proverb.
Muphry's Law
The principle that any criticism of the speech or writing of others will itself contain at least one error of usage or spelling.
The principle that any criticism of the speech or writing of others will itself contain at least one error of usage or spelling.
mystification
The use of language to deceive others or to disguise the conditions of our social existence.
The use of language to deceive others or to disguise the conditions of our social existence.
name
An informal term for a word or phrase that designates a person, place, or thing.
An informal term for a word or phrase that designates a person, place, or thing.
name-calling
A fallacy that uses emotionally loaded terms to influence an audience.
A fallacy that uses emotionally loaded terms to influence an audience.
narratio
The part of an argument in which a speaker or writer provides a narrative account of what has happened and explains the nature of the case.
The part of an argument in which a speaker or writer provides a narrative account of what has happened and explains the nature of the case.
narration
In composition studies, one of the traditional modes of discourse that recounts an event or a series of related events.
In composition studies, one of the traditional modes of discourse that recounts an event or a series of related events.
narrative
A rhetorical strategy that recounts a sequence of events, usually in chronological order.
A rhetorical strategy that recounts a sequence of events, usually in chronological order.
narrator
A person who tells a story, or a voice fashioned by an author to recount a narrative.
A person who tells a story, or a voice fashioned by an author to recount a narrative.
narrowing
See "semantic narrowing."
See "semantic narrowing."
native speaker
A speaker who uses a first language or mother tongue.
A speaker who uses a first language or mother tongue.
NATO phonetic alphabet
A spelling alphabet used by airline pilots, police, the military, and other officials when communicating over radio or telephone.
A spelling alphabet used by airline pilots, police, the military, and other officials when communicating over radio or telephone.
natural language
A human language, such as English or Standard Mandarin, as opposed to artificial language, machine language, or the language of formal logic.
A human language, such as English or Standard Mandarin, as opposed to artificial language, machine language, or the language of formal logic.
nature writing
A form of creative nonfiction in which the natural environment serves as the dominant subject.
A form of creative nonfiction in which the natural environment serves as the dominant subject.
neologism
A newly coined word, expression, or usage that is not yet commonly used.
A newly coined word, expression, or usage that is not yet commonly used.
newspeak
Deliberately ambiguous and contradictory language used to mislead and manipulate the public.
Deliberately ambiguous and contradictory language used to mislead and manipulate the public.
nickname
A familiar form of a proper name, or any descriptive name or epithet used informally.
A familiar form of a proper name, or any descriptive name or epithet used informally.
nominal
(1) Relating to nouns. (2) Any word or word group that functions as a noun.
(1) Relating to nouns. (2) Any word or word group that functions as a noun.
nominal clause
See "noun clause."
See "noun clause."
nominalization
A type of word formation in which a verb or an adjective (or other part of speech) is used as a noun.
A type of word formation in which a verb or an adjective (or other part of speech) is used as a noun.
nominative case
See "subjective case."
See "subjective case."
nonce word
A word coined or used for a special occasion.
A word coined or used for a special occasion.
noncount noun
See "mass noun."
See "mass noun."
nonfiction
Prose accounts of real people, places, objects, or events.
Prose accounts of real people, places, objects, or events.
nonfinite verb
A form of the verb that does not show a distinction in tense.
A form of the verb that does not show a distinction in tense.
nonrestrictive element
A word, phrase, or clause that provides added (though not essential) information to a sentence but does not limit or restrict the element it modifies.
A word, phrase, or clause that provides added (though not essential) information to a sentence but does not limit or restrict the element it modifies.
non sequitur
A fallacy in which a conclusion does not follow logically from what preceded it.
A fallacy in which a conclusion does not follow logically from what preceded it.
nonstandard English
(1) Any dialect of English other than Standard English. (2) A term used by some non-linguists to describe "bad" English.
(1) Any dialect of English other than Standard English. (2) A term used by some non-linguists to describe "bad" English.
notional agreement
Agreement (or concord) of verbs with their subjects and of pronouns with their antecedent nouns on the basis of meaning rather than grammatical form.
Agreement (or concord) of verbs with their subjects and of pronouns with their antecedent nouns on the basis of meaning rather than grammatical form.
noun
The part of speech used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action.
The part of speech used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action.
noun clause
A dependent clause that functions as a noun (that is, as a subject, object, or complement).
A dependent clause that functions as a noun (that is, as a subject, object, or complement).
noun phrase
A word group that includes a noun and its modifiers.
A word group that includes a noun and its modifiers.
number
The grammatical contrast between singular and plural forms of nouns, pronouns, determiners, and verbs.
The grammatical contrast between singular and plural forms of nouns, pronouns, determiners, and verbs.
object
A noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that receives or is affected by the action of a verb within a sentence.
A noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that receives or is affected by the action of a verb within a sentence.
objective case
The case or function of a pronoun when it is the direct or indirect object of a verb or verbal, the object of a preposition, the subject of an infinitive, or an appositive to an object.
The case or function of a pronoun when it is the direct or indirect object of a verb or verbal, the object of a preposition, the subject of an infinitive, or an appositive to an object.
object of a preposition
A noun or a pronoun that follows a preposition and completes its meaning.
A noun or a pronoun that follows a preposition and completes its meaning.
Old English
The language spoken in England from around 450 to 1100.
The language spoken in England from around 450 to 1100.
onomastics
The study of proper names, especially the names of people and places.
The study of proper names, especially the names of people and places.
onomatope
A word that imitates the sound it denotes: an onomatopoeic word.
A word that imitates the sound it denotes: an onomatopoeic word.
onomatopoeia
The formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
The formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
open class
The category of content words--that is, parts of speech (or word classes) that readily accept new members.
The category of content words--that is, parts of speech (or word classes) that readily accept new members.
oration
A speech delivered in a formal and dignified manner.
A speech delivered in a formal and dignified manner.
orator
A skilled public speaker.
A skilled public speaker.
oratory
The art of public speaking.
The art of public speaking.
ordinal number
A number that indicates position or order in relation to other numbers: first, second, third, and so on.
A number that indicates position or order in relation to other numbers: first, second, third, and so on.
organization
The arrangement of ideas, incidents, evidence, or details in a perceptible order in a paragraph or essay.
The arrangement of ideas, incidents, evidence, or details in a perceptible order in a paragraph or essay.
oronym
A sequence of words (for example, "ice cream") that sounds the same as a different sequence of words ("I scream").
A sequence of words (for example, "ice cream") that sounds the same as a different sequence of words ("I scream").
orthography
(1) The practice or study of correct spelling according to established usage. (2) The study of letters and how they are used to express sounds and form words.
(1) The practice or study of correct spelling according to established usage. (2) The study of letters and how they are used to express sounds and form words.
orthophemism
Straight talk; direct or neutral expressions that are not sweet-sounding, evasive, or overly polite (euphemistic), nor harsh, blunt, or offensive (dysphemistic).
Straight talk; direct or neutral expressions that are not sweet-sounding, evasive, or overly polite (euphemistic), nor harsh, blunt, or offensive (dysphemistic).
overwriting
A wordy writing style characterized by excessive detail, needless repetition, outlandish figures of speech, and/or convoluted sentence structures.
A wordy writing style characterized by excessive detail, needless repetition, outlandish figures of speech, and/or convoluted sentence structures.
oxymoron
A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.
A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.