Maharashtra HSC Gujarati (MSBSHSE) key terms

Written language arranged in sentences and paragraphs rather than measured lines; in the HSC course it covers prescribed essays, short stories and biographical sketches studied for theme, character and style.

Composition in measured, rhythmic lines; candidates study prescribed poems for theme, emotion, imagery and the poet's craft rather than for narrative plot alone.

The aesthetic pleasure a reader experiences when a poem's dominant emotion is fully evoked; classical theory names nine, such as શૃંગાર, કરુણ, વીર and હાસ્ય.

The underlying feeling or emotional state a literary work arouses, such as grief, longing or courage; when sustained and universal it matures into rasa.

The metrical system governing syllable count, pauses and line structure in Gujarati verse; recognising a metre helps a candidate scan and appreciate a prescribed poem.

A group of three syllables classified by heavy (ગુરુ) and light (લઘુ) weight; combinations of eight such groups form the basis of Sanskrit-derived Gujarati metres.

The two syllable weights in prosody: a heavy syllable (ગુરુ) occupies more time, a light one (લઘુ) less; their pattern determines the metre of a line.

A metre in which every line contains an equal number of syllables, with a fixed pattern of heavy and light syllables and a set rhyme scheme.

The phonetic joining of two adjacent sounds, where the final sound of one word and the initial sound of the next combine into a single modified form.

A sandhi formed when a word ending in a vowel meets a word beginning with a vowel, producing a combined or altered vowel sound.

A sandhi in which a consonant at the end of one word meets a following sound, causing the consonant to change, double or merge.

A compound word in which two or more words are fused into one unit; the exam asks candidates to split a compound and name its type.

A compound whose first member qualifies or modifies the last, which remains the head; the compound is chiefly a noun determined by its final element.

A compound joining two or more words of equal grammatical status, usually linked in the original by 'and', as in માતા-પિતા.

A compound in which neither member is the head; the whole word denotes some other person or thing suggested by the combination.

A figure of speech that heightens expression through sound or meaning; the exam requires identifying the figure in a given line and justifying the choice.

A figure in which one thing is explicitly compared to another of a different kind using words such as જેવું, સમું or જેવો, with a stated point of similarity.

A figure in which the subject and the object of comparison are identified as one, without any word of comparison, so that the image is superimposed on the subject.

A sound figure created by deliberate repetition of the same consonant, usually at the start of syllables, within a line or closely linked lines.

A sound figure in which the same word recurs with different meanings, producing a play on sense rather than merely repeating sound.

A figure in which a single word or phrase carries two or more meanings at once, allowing the line to be read in more than one way.

The meaning a word carries in context, including its literal sense, its extended or figurative sense, and its idiomatic use in Gujarati.

The construction of grammatically correct sentences, covering word order, agreement, tense, voice and the joining of clauses in Gujarati.

A fixed Gujarati idiom whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words and which must be learnt as a whole unit.

A short, traditional saying that expresses a piece of practical wisdom or common observation, often used to clinch an argument in a composition.

A structured piece of writing on a chosen subject, with an introduction, developed body paragraphs and a conclusion; the exam tests coherence and relevance.

Composition of formal or informal letters in the prescribed Gujarati layout, including salutation, body, closing and signature.

A formal written request in a fixed layout addressed to an authority, stating the purpose, supporting reasons and the sender's details.

A factual account of an event or situation written for a newspaper, institution or office, with a heading, lead, details and source.

A condensed restatement of a passage that preserves its main ideas in the candidate's own words, usually at about one-third of the original length.

Writing that develops a given proverb, maxim or short statement into a full passage, explaining its meaning and illustrating it with reasoning or example.

A passage not from the prescribed textbook, set to test independent reading: locating the main idea, inferring meaning and answering vocabulary questions.

Rendering a passage faithfully from one language into another, preserving sense, register and idiom rather than following word order mechanically.

A written exchange between two or more speakers, used in the exam to test functional Gujarati, turn-taking and appropriate register.

A shared trend in theme, form or outlook among writers of a period, such as the influence of romanticism or Gandhian thought on Gujarati writing.

The chronological study of authors, works and periods in Gujarati literature, including the major ages into which the tradition is divided.

Gujarati writing shaped by Gandhian values of non-violence, social reform and rural life, prominent in the early twentieth century.

Writing by and about oppressed communities that voices lived experience of caste injustice and asserts dignity and identity in modern Gujarati literature.