Best thing I can recommend then is doing some search via Google (or your prefered search engine) along the lines of:

A) What is a Valve amp

B) What is a Transistor* Amp

C) Transistor* versus Valve Amps

*Try "Solid State" too/instead

You should be able to find a wealth of information that should help bring you up to speed on terminology and give you some idea what we're going on about.

I would try doing the searches for you, but I can't be certain what exactly you want to know, so try the above as a "starter-for-ten" and see where that get's you. Anything you're not sure about, ask here at GT and we'll all gladly try and help.

Regards,
Chris.