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Essential Vocabulary for the GRE - Language & Literary Devices

Here you will learn some English words about language, such as "locative", "neuter", "irony", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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Essential Words Needed for the GRE
dialect
dialect
[noun]

the spoken form of a language specific to a certain region or people which is slightly different from the standard form in words and grammar

Ex: Linguists study dialects to better understand language variation and change , as well as the social and cultural factors that shape linguistic diversity .
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syntax
syntax
[noun]

(linguistics) the way in which words and phrases are arranged to form grammatical sentences in a language

Ex: Syntax analysis helps in identifying how sentence elements like nouns , verbs , and adjectives interact within a given linguistic framework .
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declension

(in the grammar of some languages) a group of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives changing in the same way to indicate case, number, and gender

Ex: The Old English language had a complex system of declension, with different forms for nouns depending on case , number , and gender .
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inflection

(grammar) a change in the structure of a word, usually adding a suffix, according to its grammatical function

Ex: Understanding inflection is essential for mastering highly inflected languages like Finnish .
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to conjugate

(grammar) to show how a verb changes depending on number, person, tense, etc.

Ex: The linguistics professor explained how different languages conjugate verbs differently based on their grammatical structures.
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inversion
inversion
[noun]

a change in normal word order, especially putting a verb before its subject

Ex: Shakespeare frequently employed inversion, enhancing the poetic nature of his lines .
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accusative

(grammar) a particular form of a pronoun, adjective, or noun that acts as the direct object of a verb or preposition, used in some languages such as Greek or Latin

Ex: Understanding the accusative is key to forming proper sentences in Russian .
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vocative
vocative
[noun]

(in the grammar of some languages) the form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective that is used when addressing a particular person or thing

Ex: The Latin vocative is used for direct address , such as " Marce " when calling out to Marcus .
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genitive
genitive
[Adjective]

relating to a grammatical case that is used to indicate possession, origin, or a close association

Ex: The article analyzed the morphological changes in the genitive case.
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subjunctive

‌(of verbs) a form or mood that represents possibility, doubt, or wishes

Ex: The subjunctive is often used in Spanish after expressions of doubt , like " Dudo que él venga . "
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ablative
ablative
[noun]

(grammar) a specific form of a pronoun, adjective, or noun that is used to show by what means or by whom an action is done or to indicate the source of the action, found in some languages such as Latin or Sanskrit

Ex: In Latin , the ablative is used to show means or instrument , such as in " gladio " meaning " with a sword . "
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locative
locative
[noun]

(grammar) a specific form of a pronoun, adjective, or noun that shows the place of an action or where a person or thing is

Ex: The locative in Latin can indicate place where, as in "Romae" meaning "in Rome."
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predicative
predicative
[Adjective]

(grammar) describing an adjective or noun following a linking verb and completing the meaning of the copula

Ex: The role of the predicative noun is to provide additional information about the subject .
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nominative

a grammatical case used for the subject of a sentence or clause

Ex: The teacher explained the importance of identifying the nominative to determine the subject of a sentence .
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attributive
attributive
[Adjective]

(grammar)(of a noun or adjective) joined directly to a noun and modifying it, without a linking verb

Ex: The poet's use of attributives enhanced the imagery in her poetry.
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indicative

(grammar) the mood of a verb that states a fact

Ex: Teachers emphasize the importance of mastering the indicative for fluency in speaking and writing.
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interrogative

(grammar) a function word that is used to form a question

Ex: Mastering interrogatives enhances language fluency and comprehension .
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neuter
neuter
[noun]

(grammar) a gender of words that are neither masculine nor feminine

Ex: English does not have neuter, unlike German or Spanish .
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affix
affix
[noun]

(grammar) a letter or group of letters added to the end or beginning of a word to change its meaning

Ex: In linguistics , affixes play a crucial role in word formation and derivation .
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alliteration

the use of the same letter or sound at the beginning of the words in a verse or sentence, used as a literary device

Ex: The advertising slogan 's alliteration made it memorable and catchy .
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irony
irony
[noun]

a form of humor in which the words that someone says mean the opposite, producing an emphatic effect

Ex: Through irony, she pointed out the flaws in their logic without directly insulting them .
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allusion
allusion
[noun]

a statement that implies or indirectly mentions something or someone else, especially as a literary device

Ex: The poet 's allusion to Icarus served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of overambition and hubris .
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satire
satire
[noun]

humor, irony, ridicule, or sarcasm used to expose or criticize the faults and shortcomings of a person, government, etc.

Ex: Satire can be a powerful tool for social commentary and change.
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euphemism
euphemism
[noun]

a word or expression that is used instead of a harsh or insulting one in order to be more tactful and polite

Ex: In polite conversation , people might use the euphemism ' restroom ' or ' bathroom ' instead of ' toilet ' to refer to a place where one can relieve themselves .
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analogy
analogy
[noun]

(linguistics) a process by which a new word or inflection is formed according to existing rules and regulations

Ex: The study of analogy shows how language adapts to the needs of its speakers .
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coherent
coherent
[Adjective]

(of a person) able to express thoughts or ideas in a clear and consistent manner

Ex: As a leader , he is coherent in his decision-making , ensuring everyone understands his reasoning .
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etymology
etymology
[noun]

the study of the origins and historical developments of words and their meanings

Ex: The etymology of " amplify " reveals its roots in Latin " amplus , " meaning large or spacious .
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inarticulate
inarticulate
[Adjective]

(of people) unable to express oneself clearly or easily

Ex: She became inarticulate with emotion when accepting the award , struggling to find the right words .
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tautology
tautology
[noun]

the redundant repetition of an idea using different words in a sentence or phrase

Ex: Writers and speakers are often advised to avoid tautology to ensure their communication is clear and concise without unnecessary repetition .
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pragmatics

(linguistics) a branch of linguistics that deals with the sentences and the contexts in which they are used

Ex: The study of pragmatics reveals how gestures and facial expressions complement verbal communication .
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phonetics
phonetics
[noun]

the science and study of speech sounds and their production

Ex: Phonetics plays a crucial role in language learning and teaching , helping learners to accurately pronounce and recognize the sounds of a foreign language .
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phoneme
phoneme
[noun]

the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning, often represented by a specific symbol in phonetic notation

Ex: The study of phonemes and their distribution helps linguists analyze speech sounds and patterns across languages .
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morpheme
morpheme
[noun]

(linguistics) the smallest meaningful unit of a language that does not necessarily stand alone and cannot be divided

Ex: The study of morphemes, known as morphology , examines how these units combine to create complex words .
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lexeme
lexeme
[noun]

(linguistics) a basic linguistic unit that is meaningful and underlies a set of words which are related through inflection

Ex: Analyzing lexemes helps in identifying patterns of word formation and usage across different linguistic contexts .
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allophone
allophone
[noun]

a variant pronunciation of a phoneme, which can occur due to phonetic differences in specific contexts or environments within a language

Ex: The variation of the "r" sound in different dialects of English is an example of allophonic variation.
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ellipsis
ellipsis
[noun]

(grammar) the act of omitting a word or words from a sentence, when the meaning is complete and the omission is understood from the context

Ex: The reporter used ellipses to omit irrelevant details from the interview transcript .
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homonym
homonym
[noun]

each of two or more words with the same spelling or pronunciation that vary in meaning and origin

Ex: " Match " is a homonym— it can mean a competition or a stick used to start a fire .
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homophone
homophone
[noun]

(grammar) one of two or more words with the same pronunciation that differ in meaning, spelling or origin

Ex: English learners often find homophones tricky because they sound the same but are spelled differently .
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diphthong
diphthong
[noun]

(phonetics) a gliding speech sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable

Ex: Linguists study the distribution and evolution of diphthongs across different languages .
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onomatopoeia

a word that mimics the sound it represents

Ex: The use of onomatopoeia adds vividness and immediacy to descriptive writing .
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