Literary Terms and Concepts: Definitions and Examples
Metalinguistic Function
It is the function oriented towards the code. It consists in the use of the code (language) to discuss or describe itself. It is the function typically fulfilled by grammars or works of linguistics.
Stanza
Example: “The Canonization” by John Donne.
Microstyle
Includes similes, parallelisms, anaphoric references, ellipsis, rhymed verse with end-stopped and run-on lines, etc.
Suspension of Disbelief
Poetry, drama, and novels create worlds of fiction in which readers accept what is
Read MoreCEFR: Understanding Language Proficiency Levels A1 to C2
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
The CEFR organizes language proficiency into six levels, A1 to C2, which can be regrouped into three broad levels: Basic User, Independent User, and Proficient User. These levels can be further subdivided according to the needs of the local context. Perhaps the most important benefit of using the CEFR as a teacher is that it gives you a much clearer picture of what learners at a given level are capable of. Basic learners differ from
Read MoreEnhancing Language Learning: Factors, Strategies, and Teacher Roles
Cognitive Factors and Learning Styles
To Learn:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Kinesthetic
To Organize Information:
- Field-independent
- Analytical or synthetic
- Reflective or impulsive
To Elaborate Information:
- Communicative
- Conformist
- Critical thinkers
- Memorizing learners
Learning Strategies
- Direct Strategies: Cognitive, compensation, memory
- Indirect Strategies: Metacognitive, affective, and social
Affects in Language Learning
Success in language learning depends less on materials, techniques, and linguistic analysis and more on
Read MoreErnest Hemingway: Life, Work, and Legacy
Vocabulary for Graphic Analysis
Upward Trends
- Increase
- Go up
- Take off
- Shoot up
- Soar
- Jump
- Rise
- Grow
- Improve
- Rocket
Downward Trends
- Decrease
- Go/Come down
- Fall
- Fall off
- Drop
- Slump
- Decline
- Slip
- Shrink
No Change
- Remain stable
- Level off
- Stay at the same level
- Remain constant
- Stagnate
- Stabilize
The graphic shows…
Ernest Hemingway: A Concise Biography
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) was an American writer known for his simple and direct writing style. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, he began his career as a journalist. Hemingway did not
Read MoreMercè Rodoreda: A Literary Journey Through Symbolism
The Psychological Novel
The novel emerges in psychological realism and the rejection of naturalism. The writer will have to follow a current of psychological-philosophical thought that dominated much of Europe. This novel is based on the psychological description of the intimacy of one or several characters and their reactions to certain facts. The parents of this new literary current are Freud, Bergson, and W. James.
In the contemporary novel, innovations arise where the narrator is a shift that
Read MoreGustavo Adolfo Bécquer’s Rhymes: Analysis and Structure
Rima XXI
Structure
Externally, it is a text written in verse, consisting of four verses, which are hendecasyllables, enneasíllables, and tetrasyllables. Assonance rhyming pairs, being the odd loose, and its rhyme scheme is 11 – 11 9A – 4a. Internally, it can be divided into two parts:
- From verse 1 to 2: Explains what is happening today.
- From verse 3 to 4: Explains the reason for what happens.
Argument
The poet says that today the earth and the heavens will smile, and the sun reaches the bottom of his
Read More