TECHNIQUES BIBLE
ALLEGORY
A story or narrative with two meanings; the obvious or literal meaning
that is immediately clear, and a second, usually hidden meaning.
The second meaning often acts as a commentary on real world events or
issues or relates to a specific topic/theme being dealt with.
ALLITERATION
Repetition of consonants at the beginning of successive words or within
sentences/phrases to create a sense of rhythm.
Plosive [B, P, T, D] Sibilant [S] Fricative [F, Th, V] Nasal [M, N]
ALLUSION
A subtle or passing reference to an event, person, place, other text.
AMBIGUITY
When something is left unexplained to a certain degree of mystery or
imagination.
ANADIPLOSIS
a form of repetition in which the last word of one clause or sentence is
repeated as the first word of the following clause or sentence; builds a
sequence of related ideas
(used often in Chiasmus)
as in: ‘suffering breeds character, character breeds faith: in the end, faith will not
disappoint’
ANALOGY
two similar concepts or ideas to create a relationship or draw comparisons
between the two.
ANAPHORA
the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of a sentence (or stanza) to
create emphasis.
ANTITHESIS/JUXTAPOSITION
Using two sentences, ideas, images or concepts with contradictory or
contrasting meanings close to one another, especially when in immediate
succession
ANTHROPOMORPHISM
the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate things or animals
(versus ‘pathetic fallacy’, in which human emotions are attributed)
ARCHETYPE
an immediately recognisable character trope
ASSONANCE
Similar to alliteration, however in this case it is vowel sounds within words
that are repeated.
ASYNDETON
the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence;
make a speech more dramatic and effective by speeding up its rhythm
and pace.
as in: I came, I saw, I conquered.
The opposite would be “POLYSYNDETON”
as in: I came and then I saw and then I conquered.
ATMOSPHERE
, refers to the feeling or mood created by a place, situation or text – it
usually is built by sensory imagery and word choices
CAESURA
break within a line
(as opposed to ENJAMBMENT)
CHARACTERISATION
The process by which characters are introduced, described and presented
– usually through cohesive metaphor
CHIASMUS
a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the
following phrase; emphasises paradox.
as in: ‘there is good in bad and bad in good’
CONGERY/TAUTOLOGY
the rhetorical use of repetition; refers to a writer or speaker using a
number of different and successive words or phrases that all effectively
mean the same thing, purely to emphasise the point.
CONNOTATIONS
The ideas, feelings or concepts associated with specific words, phrases or
situations that go beyond their literal meaning. Word choices are often
made with the connotations of each word in mind to create a particular
atmosphere or tone. In some instances, an interaction or situation may
have underlying connotations as well.
CONTRAST
Any situation wherein two different or opposing things are presented
together in order to highlight their differences.
CONTEXT
The time, place and social setting within which a text was created,
influencing the text, leading to the text often reflecting the authors own
ideas and values.
DRAMATIC IRONY
Any situation wherein the audience is privy to some sort of information
that the characters do not know, building audience tension, suspense, etc.
EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
Words chosen to create a specific emotional response in the reader, often
linked to the word’s connotations and commonly used in highly emotional
or descriptive scenes/situations.
ENJAMBMENT
the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break; creates
fluidity and brings a prose-like quality to poetry.
EUPHEMISM
A mild or ‘proper’ expression used to replace one that is harsh
EXCLAMATION
A sentence ending with an exclamation mark (“!”) or said with a tone of
shock/excitement is used to express high emotion – e.g. sudden
revelations, important discoveries or enthusiasm.
FOIL
A foil is another character in a story that specifically contrasts the main
character in order to emphasise the main character’s attributes and
values.
ALLEGORY
A story or narrative with two meanings; the obvious or literal meaning
that is immediately clear, and a second, usually hidden meaning.
The second meaning often acts as a commentary on real world events or
issues or relates to a specific topic/theme being dealt with.
ALLITERATION
Repetition of consonants at the beginning of successive words or within
sentences/phrases to create a sense of rhythm.
Plosive [B, P, T, D] Sibilant [S] Fricative [F, Th, V] Nasal [M, N]
ALLUSION
A subtle or passing reference to an event, person, place, other text.
AMBIGUITY
When something is left unexplained to a certain degree of mystery or
imagination.
ANADIPLOSIS
a form of repetition in which the last word of one clause or sentence is
repeated as the first word of the following clause or sentence; builds a
sequence of related ideas
(used often in Chiasmus)
as in: ‘suffering breeds character, character breeds faith: in the end, faith will not
disappoint’
ANALOGY
two similar concepts or ideas to create a relationship or draw comparisons
between the two.
ANAPHORA
the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of a sentence (or stanza) to
create emphasis.
ANTITHESIS/JUXTAPOSITION
Using two sentences, ideas, images or concepts with contradictory or
contrasting meanings close to one another, especially when in immediate
succession
ANTHROPOMORPHISM
the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate things or animals
(versus ‘pathetic fallacy’, in which human emotions are attributed)
ARCHETYPE
an immediately recognisable character trope
ASSONANCE
Similar to alliteration, however in this case it is vowel sounds within words
that are repeated.
ASYNDETON
the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence;
make a speech more dramatic and effective by speeding up its rhythm
and pace.
as in: I came, I saw, I conquered.
The opposite would be “POLYSYNDETON”
as in: I came and then I saw and then I conquered.
ATMOSPHERE
, refers to the feeling or mood created by a place, situation or text – it
usually is built by sensory imagery and word choices
CAESURA
break within a line
(as opposed to ENJAMBMENT)
CHARACTERISATION
The process by which characters are introduced, described and presented
– usually through cohesive metaphor
CHIASMUS
a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the
following phrase; emphasises paradox.
as in: ‘there is good in bad and bad in good’
CONGERY/TAUTOLOGY
the rhetorical use of repetition; refers to a writer or speaker using a
number of different and successive words or phrases that all effectively
mean the same thing, purely to emphasise the point.
CONNOTATIONS
The ideas, feelings or concepts associated with specific words, phrases or
situations that go beyond their literal meaning. Word choices are often
made with the connotations of each word in mind to create a particular
atmosphere or tone. In some instances, an interaction or situation may
have underlying connotations as well.
CONTRAST
Any situation wherein two different or opposing things are presented
together in order to highlight their differences.
CONTEXT
The time, place and social setting within which a text was created,
influencing the text, leading to the text often reflecting the authors own
ideas and values.
DRAMATIC IRONY
Any situation wherein the audience is privy to some sort of information
that the characters do not know, building audience tension, suspense, etc.
EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
Words chosen to create a specific emotional response in the reader, often
linked to the word’s connotations and commonly used in highly emotional
or descriptive scenes/situations.
ENJAMBMENT
the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break; creates
fluidity and brings a prose-like quality to poetry.
EUPHEMISM
A mild or ‘proper’ expression used to replace one that is harsh
EXCLAMATION
A sentence ending with an exclamation mark (“!”) or said with a tone of
shock/excitement is used to express high emotion – e.g. sudden
revelations, important discoveries or enthusiasm.
FOIL
A foil is another character in a story that specifically contrasts the main
character in order to emphasise the main character’s attributes and
values.
