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Literary Terms 4

1. Idiom
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning different from the words used. In this
sense, idiom is pretty much synonymous with “figure of speech,” though with a slightly
narrower definition: an idiom is part of the language.

2. Imagery
Imagery is language used to create images in the mind of the reader. Imagery includes
figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader’s experience through their senses.

3. Innuendo
An innuendo is when you say something which is polite and innocent on the surface, but
indirectly hints at an insult or rude comment, a dirty joke, or even social or political criticism.

4. Intertextuality
Intertextuality is a fact about literary texts – the fact that they are all intimately interconnected.
Every text is affected by all the texts that came before it, since those texts influenced the
author’s thinking and aesthetic choices.

5. Invective
Invective is the literary device in which one attacks or insults a person or thing through the use
of abusive language and tone.

6. Irony
Irony is when there are two contradicting meanings of the same situation, event, image,
sentence, phrase, or story. In many cases, this refers to the difference between expectations
and reality.

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7. Jargon
Jargon is the specific type of language used by a particular group or profession.

8. Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is the placement of two or more things side by side, often in order to bring
out their differences.

9. Kairos
Kairos in Ancient Greek meant “time” – but it wasn’t just any time. It was exactly
the right time to say or do a particular thing. In modern rhetoric, it refers to making exactly
the right statement at exactly the right moment.

10. Limerick
A limerick is a five-line poem with a strict rhyme scheme (AABBA, lines 1,2, and 5 rhyme
together, while lines 3 and 4 rhymes togther) and a reasonably strict meter (anapestic triameter
for lines 1, 2, and 5; anapestic diameter for lines 3 and 4). Limericks are almost always used
for comedy, and it’s usually pretty rude comedy at that – they deal with bodily functions, etc.,
and could be considered “toilet humor.”

11. Lingo
Lingo is language or vocabulary that is specific to a certain subject, group of people, or region;
including slang and jargon. The term lingo is relatively vague—it can mean any type of
nonstandard language, and varies between professions, age groups, sexes, nationalities,
ethnicities, location, and so on.

12. Literary Device

In literature, any technique used to help the author achieve his or her purpose is called
a literary device.

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13. Litotes

Litotes is an understatement in which a positive statement is expressed by negating its

opposite. The classic example of litotes is the phrase “not bad.” By negating the word
“bad,” you’re saying that something is good, or at least OK.