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Terms for subject Literature (1001 entries)

deconstruction	The approach whereby any text is unfolded and meticulously investigated for its meaning, to the point where the base of the text is exposed as unstable. The term was coined by French philosopher Jacques Derrida.
deep structure	A linguistic term which refers to the underlying structure of a sentence, which the surface representation or meaning is derived from.
denotation	The direct or explicit meaning of a word, or a string of words.
denouement	The final resolution of a plot, especially in drama or narrative.
description	Passages of writing, most often in prose, which are descriptive of places, people, objects, social manners and so forth.
descriptive writing	This is creative writing, which can be both fictional and non-fictional. Important to creating descriptive writing are the five senses, description, literary devices and abstract language.
detective fiction	Fiction in which the mystery is solved by a detective.
deuteragonist	An actor whose character is next in line of importance after the protagonist.
deux ex machina	A device, either artificial or unlikely, which is suddenly introduced into a plot to provide a resolution.
device	Describes any literary technique, for example metaphors or alliteration.
diachronic	Changes which occur within a linguistic system between specified points in time.
dialect	The language of a particular district, class, or group of persons. The term dialect includes the sounds, spelling, grammar, and diction employed by a specific people.
dialogue	The speech between two or more characters in any type of text.
diary	Personal observations in a day-to-day record, usually not meant for others to read or for publication.
diction	The choice of a particular word or words as opposed to others.
didactic	Writing that aims to instruct, or even preach.
diphthong	In phonetics, it refers to a sound made up of two vowel sounds.
dipody	Prosody a metrical unit consisting of two feet.
dirge	A song or poem expressing mourning as at a funeral.
discourse	A dialogue comprised of several sentences, more generally recognised as conversations, speeches or debates. The term can also refer to theories or metaphorical conversations on controversial issues amongst academics and scholars. For example feminism can be identified as a discourse.