Agnosticism : The theory
that nothing is known of the existence of God or anything
beyond material phenomenon.
Alma mater : Gracious mother, a term used by old
students for the university or institution where they have
received education.
Alliteration : The repetition of the same initial letter
in every succeeding word, as "apt alliteration's artful
aid."
Anagram : Forming anew word, phrase or sentence by
changing the order of letters.
Anticlimax : A sudden descent in thought and
expression.
Anthem : A national song.
Biography: The history or the life of a particular
person.
Bibliography : The science of description of books, a
list of authorities on any subject.
Blue books: British Parliamentary Reports so named on
account of blue covers.
Blank Verse : Poetry without rhyme.
Burlesque : A literary or dramatic work intended to
excite laughter by extravagant contrast or caricature.
Calligraphy : Beautiful penmanship or art of writing.
Cartoon : A pictorial sketch dealing with a political
or a current topic; it generally excites laughter.
Catechism : Religious instruction in the form of
questions and answers.
Canto: A part of a poem of considerable length.
Dirge : A funeral hymn; a song expressive of grief.
Embossing : Art of producing raised figures or
designs in relief on surface.
Epic : A narrative poem of some heroic deed or event.
Epigram : A short saying full of wit. "In the midst
of life we arc in death."
Epilogue : A poem or speech at the end of a play.
Humanism: A system of thinking in which man, his
interests and progress are made central and dominant.
Hymn: Song in praise of God.
Hieroglyphics: These are the earliest pictures of
symbolic expressions, and are supposed to have been
introduced by the ancient Egyptians.
Idyl : A short poem describing simple, rural,
pastoral scenes.
Interlude : A short musical entertainment given
between acts of a play, etc.
Invective : Use of violent and abusive words against
an individual or society.
Jargon: 1. A mixture of two or more languages. 2. The
technical or specialised language characteristic of a
particular profession or group.
Lampoon: A piece of satire against a person.
Lay : A short lyric or narrative poem meant to be
sung.
Lithography : Drawing or writing on limestone
(lithographic stone) so that impression in ink can be taken
on a paper.
Linotype : Machine for producing stereotyped lines or
words as substitute for type-setting, now much used in
printing newspapers.
Lyric: Originally it meant a poem that could be sung,
but now it is used in a general sense.
Maiden Speech : First speech made by a person in an
assembly.
Melody: Musical arrangement of words.
Melodrama : Sensational dramatic piece with violent
appeals to emotion.
Neology : Bringing into use of new words into a
language.
Nom de plume (pen name) : An assumed name under which
a person writes to hide his identity.
Obituary : Notification of death especially in a
newspaper, a brief biography of a deceased person.
Ode : In modern usage, a lyric poem, often in the form of an
address.
Opera : A musical drama. Opera is sung whereas in a
ballet
there is no
singing.
Orthoepy : The part of grammar dealing with correct
pronunciation.
Orthography : Art of correct spelling.
Panegyric : Something written or spoken in praise of a
distinguished
person or event.
Parody : Imitation of a poem or a writing.
Philology : Science of languages.
Plagiarist : One who steals from the writings of others and
claims it as
his own.
Plagiarist : Act of stealing from the writings of others.
Pornography : Treatment of obscene subject in literature.
Lolita by
Nobokov and Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence are
examples of
pornographic literature in earlier time but now a lot is
being accepted.
Prosody : Science of versification.
Poet Laureate : Poet of the Royal household, one who writes
poetry on
state occasions.
Rhetoric : The art of persuasive impressive speaking or writing.
Romance : A branch of literature in which element of wonder or
imagination predominates.
Realism : A term used with reference to a form of
literature which
represents actual life.
Rhapsody : Wild composition, conceived in a confused
and excited state
of mind.
Rotary : A high speed printing machine. Also a world-wide society for
International service to humanity.
Royalty : The percentage to which a writer, painter or
musician is
entitled on the sale of a book, painting or a musical
composition.
Sculpture: Art of forming representation of objects by
cutting stone,
carving wood, casting metals or similar processes.
