Elements of Language

Expressions

Maxim: a statement of general truth

Aphorism: a pithy statement of a general opinion or truth

Epithet: a word or phrase used in place of a person's name which is characteristic of that person

Epigram: a brief, witty poem or saying which often deals with its subject in a satirical manner

Euphemism: the replacement of a blunt, often unpleasant, term with a more vague and roundabout expression

Cliché: a word or phrase which is so overused that it is no longer effective in most writing situations

Epitaph: a short poem or verse written in memory of someone

Platitude: a trite remark

Types of Language

Malapropism: a play on words which results when two words become jumbled in the speaker's mind

Journalese: the terse, factual style characteristic of journalists

Anachronism: an error in chronology (such as placing a person or event outside its historical era)

Bombast: verbose and inflated diction that is disproportionate to the subject matter

Didactic: writing intended to instruct and inform the reader (often with a moral message)

Circumlocution: the use of an excessive number of words to express an idea

Doublespeak: language that appears to be earnest and meaningful but in fact is a mixture of sense and nonsense

Style is a writer's characteristic manner of expression in prose or verse. Style is shaped by the writer's diction, figures of speech, rhythmic patterns, and sentence structure.

Diction: the author's choice of words based on their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness

Archaism: words which are old-fashioned an no longer sound natural when used

Colloquialism: an expression which is usually accepted in informal writing or speaking but not in a formal situation

Jargon (technical diction): the specialized language used by a specific group

Slang: language used by a particular group of people among themselves, or language used in fiction and special writing situation to lend color and feeling

Trite: expressions which lack depth or originality, are overworked, or are not worth mentioning in the first place

Formal Diction: word choice appropriate for formal writing like analytical essays, speeches, and business letters

Informal Diction: word choice appropriate for personal letters or casual conversations between acquaintances

Syntax: the study of the way in which sequences of words are ordered into phrases, clauses, and sentences

Sentence Structure

Loose Sentence: a sentence which expresses the main thought near the beginning and adds explanatory material as needed

Balanced Sentence: a sentence constructed to emphasize a similarity or contrast between two or more of its parts

Periodic Sentence: a sentence which postpones the crucial or most surprising idea until the end

Cumulative Sentence: a sentence which places the general idea in the main clause and gives it greater precision with modifying words, phrases, or clauses placed before, after, or in the middle of the main clause

Parallel Sentence: a sentence in which similar words or ideas are phrased in a similar structure to emphasize the connection between them