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Each week, every student will write an entry in our shared glossary. We will use the Docs on our Course Profile to collaborate on this glossary, each adding at least one entry per week. Words can include technical terms in the study of poetry, such as from our textbook, words you didn’t know when reading, or words you knew but needed to understand better in the context of the poem, or even words from our class discussions, others’ blog posts or comments, or course documents. I will also include in the glossary words for which you can complete the entry, rather than choosing your own word. For each entry, you will include:
- the word,
- its part of speech (eg, noun, adjective, verb)
- the most appropriate definition–not necessarily the first one
- the source of the definition
- the context of the word (eg, the poem title and line from our reading, the textbook section and page, or the discussion or course document date and subject)
- your explanation of the connotation of the word in that context
- your initials (to get credit for your work)
Use the buttons above to insert rows as needed
Word |
Part of Speech |
DefinitionSourceContextExplanation |
Initials |
-A- |
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Acquiescence |
Noun |
(Chap 5, Thylias Moss "Interpretation of.." paragraph 1): Acceptance without protest
"The interloper in this scene, a young black girl in Moss’s interpretation, obeys the boundaries set by Jim Crow “even in the absence of a fence” (5), signifying her acquiescence to the unfair laws."
this girl blindly accepted these laws that with or without a barrier she wouldn't rebel against the idea of segregation, though they are unfair |
D.C |
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Ambiguity
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noun |
This word appears in chapter three.1) Allows for two or more simultaneous interpretations of a word,a phrase, an action, all of which can be supported by the context of the workEx: Giving words or ideas two different connotations (chicken as an animal, and chicken as a coward person.)
2) Definition in the dictionary: Doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention.Ex: There are several ambiguities in this text
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R.S |
-B- |
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Bivouac |
Verb |
To rest assemble in such an area; encamp (dictionary.com) "Battle-Piece"(pg108) Seldom, they quickstep as far downhill as this bivouac; they miss string, snap. Ex: they built a wall like so they wouldn't be strucked with abullet or cannon. |
M.S |
-C- |
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Chortled |
Verb |
to make, or utter with, a gleeful chuckling or snorting sound http://www.yourdictionary.com/chortledChapter 5 "To a Wasp" - "You must have chortled finding that tiny hole" |
S.P. |
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Coyness |
Adjective |
Definition: (esp. in a woman) The quality of feigning shyness or modesty in an attempt to seem alluring (google dictionary). From Andrew Marvell's Poem To His Coy Mistress. Example: The girl who performed at the talent show as a comedian began to show a misleading coyness when I attempted to talk to her. |
D.K. |
-D- |
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Diction |
Noun |
Like all good writers, poets are keenly aware of diction, their choice of words.This word appeared in chapter 3 first paragraph. Diction is the way of speaking or writing that the authors decides to use in order to bring out the meaning or value of his or her work. For Ex. This author in this poem expressed his idea in a stylish diction. |
P.C |
Die |
Verb |
"To have an orgasm" (wordnik.com)The word "die" was used in this context in many of Shakespeare's works and in the poem "Last Night" by Sharon Olds.In the poem "Last Night", the poet was describing an intense sexual experience and in lines 18-19, she says "...the screaming I groan to remember it, and when we started to die, then I refuse to remember..." |
GSL |
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-F- |
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Fen |
Noun |
"Low land that is covered wholly or partly with water unless artificially drained and that usually has peaty alkaline soil and characteristic flora (as of sedges and reeds)" - Merriam-Webster(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fen). For example, in the poem "London, 1802" by William Wordsworth, England is described as "...a fen of stagnant waters.." |
GSL |
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Ford |
Noun |
"A shallow part of a body of water that may be crossed by wading" - Merriam-Webster(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ford). The word "ford" can be found in Whitman's "Cavalry Crossing a Ford" which describes a troop of soldiers on horses lazily crossing a shallow stream. |
GSL |
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-G- |
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Guidon |
Noun |
'A small flag or streamer carried as a guide, for marking or signaling, or for identification." -http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/guidon This word was found in Walt Whitman's "Cavalry Crossing a Ford." Whitman writes,"The guidon flags flutter gaily in the wind." It seems that guidon flags are used in the military for the reasons explained in the definition. |
M.H. |
-H- |
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-I- |
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Images |
Noun |
This word appeared in chapter 4 first page and first paragraph. An image is language that addresses the senses. The most common images in poetry are visual; they provide verbal pictures of the poets' encounters- real or imagined- with the world. To my understanding images are things that we are able to see or imagine from what an author or poet describes. |
P.C |
Incongruous |
Adjective |
Not in place; unsuitablechapter 4 (paragraph 2 of Jane Kenyon, The Blue Bowl)
The bowl’s blueness calls attention to other colors in the poem that may have otherwise been overlooked: the cat’s “long red fur” (7) and the incongruous “white feathers / between his toes” (7–8)
the white feathers are incongruous because the typical use of the color white conflicts with the mood of the poem. |
D.C |
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Irony |
Noun |
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning:An example of this would be "that's great, my car just broke down". |
K.R. |
-J- |
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Japonica |
Noun |
the camellia having waxy flowers in a variety of colors. "Naming of parts" (pg 177) dictionary.com |
M.S |
-K- |
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-L- |
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-M- |
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metaphor |
figure of speech |
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech,that uses an image, story or tangable thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels. |
SM |
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-N- |
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-O- |
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Ode |
Noun |
A lyrical poem typically marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of lines, and complexity of stanza formats.Source: Merriam-Webster OnlineReference to both "Ode to American English" (1929) by Barbara Hamby & "Ode to a Grecian Urn" (1819) by John Keats |
H.C. |
Opulence |
Noun |
1. wealth, riches or affluence (plentiful, an abundant supply of thoughts or words; profusion)Connotation of the word opulence in my opinion means plentiful, variety and sophistication in the part of the text. As we see in the text that theaters are described as a (variety of things) such as we see actors and actress with different imaginations, visualization, we see sophistication of using different things to make viewers feel emotion, a mood, and a tone. There are plenty of things we see at the theater including a genre of a movie or a play.Source: Poetry : An IntroductionMichael Meyer(Pg 69) : Denotation and Connotations" Theater, for instance was once associated with depravity, disease and sin, whereas today the word usually evokes some sense of high culture and perhaps visions of elegant opulence". |
H.A |
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-P- |
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Presentiment |
Noun |
Definition: a feeling of evil to come; ”a steadily escalating sense of foreboding”"; [from obsolete French, from pressentir to sense beforehand; see pre-, sentiment] (www.thefreedictionary.com)From Emily Dickinson’s (pg. 136) ”Presentiment – is that long Shadow – on the lawn -"Example: I had a presentiment that my dog was not alright and later I found out he was hit by a car.” |
D.K. |
Prose |
noun |
The ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse.
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R.S |
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-Q- |
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Quill |
noun |
a pen made of a bird's feather |
apd |
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-R- |
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Reticence |
noun |
one that is not open or communicative;one that is reserved in speech source: mentioned in chapter 3 context: "Her reticence mimics their fatalistic pose" in regards to Brooks' "We Real Cool" |
D.C |
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Scythe |
Noun |
An implement consisting of a long, curved single-edged blade with a long bent handle, used for mowing or reaping. www.thefreedictionary.com Battle-Piece - ".... stroking the clean edge of a scythe, these boys achieved" |
S.P. |
Schizophrenia |
Noun |
A complex mental disorder that makes it difficult to differentiate the feeling between reality with delusion and hallucinations, thus sometimes leading to extreme behavioral responses variations include Catatonic and Paranoid...Source: Merriam-Webster OnlineReference: Ch 5 (Pg. 50) "Schizophrenia" (1992) by Jim Stevens |
H.C. |
Syntax |
Adjective |
1) the grammatical principles by which words are used in phrases and sentences to construct meaningful combinations.Syntax was discussed in class. It was mentioned to be apart of the poem or the "building block" of the poem. It is the unification of the poem its self. |
S.D |
Sojourn |
noun |
it reffers to a " tempoary stay"( Merriam Webster Online) |
APD |
-T- |
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thesaurus |
noun |
a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms |
sm |
-U- |
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Victual |
Noun |
food or provision for human beings. Source:"Battle-Piece"(pg 108)"Keen to victual, nearly home, feature the sharp surprise when, smooth as oiled stone"(dictionary.com" |
M.S |
Visage |
Noun |
The face or facial expression of a person. Appearance; aspect. Source: Free online dictionary. Context: The Author to Her Book. Pg. 137 (line 10). Explanation: The speaker uses the word to refer to her appearance. From the context of the lines below there is further description of this appearance which does not seem too desirable. |
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-W- |
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-X- |
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