EV Terms 1-4

Satire (N)

The strategic use of irony to expose and condemn vice in society. hough it may appear destructive on the surface, effective satire is ultimately constructive, aiming at reform rather than ridicule for its own sake

Satirical Target (N)

The specific person, institution, ideology, or behavior being criticized.

Vice (N)

A serious moral failing—such as greed, hypocrisy, cruelty, or corruption—that satire seeks to expose and condemn

Caricature (N)

Exaggerating a defining trait, behavior, or flaw in order to make the target’s vice more visible.

Hyperbole (N)

Extreme exaggeration used to magnify a flaw, hypocrisy, or absurdity.

Understatement (N)

Deliberately minimizing something serious in order to heighten its significance through contrast.

Incongruity (N)

Bringing together elements that do not logically fit in order to highlight absurdity or contradiction.

Reversal (N)

Presenting the opposite of what is truly meant or desired; praising what deserves criticism or condemning what deserves praise.

Verbal Irony (N)

Saying one thing while meaning another, often the opposite, to create layered meaning.

Situational Irony (N)

A reversal between what is expected and what actually occurs, exposing flawed assumptions.

Dramatic Irony (N)

When the audience understands the absurdity of a situation more clearly than the speaker within the satire.

Parody (N)

Imitating the style, tone, or structure of a well-known work, genre, or voice while altering key elements to reveal weakness or folly.

Double Entendre/Pun (N)

A word or phrase with two meanings, used to create layered or ironic commentary.

Idiom (N)

A common expression whose meaning differs from its literal wording; in satire, idioms are often manipulated, exaggerated, or taken literally to expose absurdity.

Ostensible Author (N)

The persona or voice the satirist adopts to deliver critique indirectly.

Wit

Intellectual sharpness and inventive language that combines cleverness with critique.

Sarcasm

A sharp or cutting form of verbal irony intended to wound; unlike satire, it may lack reformative purpose.

Deadpan

Delivering absurd or outrageous content in a serious, matter-of-fact tone to heighten irony.

Euphemism

Replacing harsh realities with mild language to expose avoidance or hypocrisy.

Invective (N)

Direct, forceful denunciation of a target; more common in darker satire.

argument

A logical way of demonstrating that the writer’s claim, belief, position or conclusion is reasonable and worth considering.

conclusion/claim

the main point or idea that the argument is trying to establish.

Claim of Fact

Answers: What is happening? What exists? What occurred?

Establishes: Conditions, events, or observable patterns

 Claim of Definition

Answers: What is it? How should it be understood or classified?

Establishes: Meaning, boundaries, and terms

Claim of Causality

Answers: Why is it happening? What causes what?

Establishes: Relationships, responsibility, and consequence

Claim of Value

Answers: Is it good or bad? Beneficial or harmful?

Establishes: Judgment based on criteria

Claim of Policy

Answers: What should be done?

Establishes: Action, response, or solution

Premises/Contentions/Reasons

a statement that supports or justifies a conclusion in an argument.

evidence

support for the reasons offered and helps compel audiences to accept claims.

Quantitative Evidence

evidence that refers to data that can be measured, counted, or expressed in numerical values

Qualitative Evidence

descriptive, non-numerical data that is based on observations, experiences, opinions, or interpretations

Examples/Generalizations

a method of supporting a claim by providing specific instances or examples that illustrate the point being made

analogies

comparing one thing to another to support a conclusion about the first thing based on their shared characteristics.

authority

form of evidence and/or argument in which the opinion of an authority figure (or figures) is used as evidence to support an argument.

causality

claiming that one thing directly led to another by presenting evidence to demonstrate this connection

Warrants/Impact/Analysis/Commentary

The reasons and/or justifications why the evidence supports and/or is important to your argument

Impact Chain

it's a logical chain of cause and effect used to build a compelling case for your position. 

backing

Additional evidence (quantitative or qualitative) to support your impact

counterclaim

the opposing argument to the writer's position in an argumentative essay.

acknowledgement

the act of recognizing and responding to different points of view in an argument.

concession

an argumentative strategy where a writer or speaker gives into (concedes) a portion of the opposition's argument.

rebuttal

it's a counterargument used to defend your own position against someone else's claim.

qualifier

a word or phrase that limits a claim in an argument to indicate that it might not be true in all situations.

rhetoric

The art of speaking and writing effectively; the study and practice of persuasive

exigence

The perceived need or problem that prompts a speaker or writer to communicate; an urgent situation or issue a text addresses.

context

The social, cultural, historical, political, or institutional circumstances that influence how a text is created and understood.

subject

The main topic or issue a text addresses.

purpose

What the speaker or writer is doing and also what they are trying to get the reader or audience to understand, to think, or to know.

audience

the specific group of listeners or readers a speaker or writer intends to reach or influence.

speaker

The individual, group, or organization that creates or delivers a text.

text

Any form of communication (written, spoken, or visual) that can be analyzed as a unified message.

genre

refers to the type of text the speaker or writer produces.

message

What the writer or speaker is trying communicate to the audience or reader or viewer (think central claim here) 

ethos

an appeal to one's character or credibility

pathos

an appeal to one's character or emotions

logos

An appeal to one's reason or logic

kairos

Choosing the right time to deliver a text

rhetorical situation

refers to the relationship among speaker, audience, purpose, and context that shapes how a message is constructed and understood.

rhetorical analysis

Examining how a speaker or writer uses rhetorical choices and strategies to achieve a purpose with a specific audience.

Drama (n)

In the most general sense, “drama” is work designed to be represented on a stage by actors. More strictly, however, a drama is a serious play (though it may end either happily or unhappily) dealing with a problem of importance.

Dramatis Personae (n)

The list of characters in a play so the audience knows who is who before the action begins. Provided at the beginning of the play’s script.

Act (n)

A chunk of the play’s action. Shakespeare’s plays always have five acts that are noted with a large Roman numeral.

Scene (n)

A division of action within an act. Shakespeare’s plays have a variety of numbers of scenes that are noted with a small Roman numeral.

Monologue (n)

A long speech delivered by one person, often in a play, film, or television show—mostly addressed to others but sometimes alone.

Tragedy (n)

A type of drama that focuses on human suffering. The main character, the tragic hero, suffers through the story, but in the end, learns something about himself and his place in the world, a lesson that makes the suffering worth his while.

Comedy (n)

A genre of theatrical performance that aims to entertain and amuse the audience, primarily by using humor, wit, and satire to highlight human flaws and social absurdities

Tragic Hero (n)

A tragic hero is a person of high estate who has the potential for greatness. The person is pre-eminently virtuous and just, but his/her misfortune is brought about, in part, by an error in judgment. The tragic hero has a flaw in his/her character, which contributes to his/her destruction.

Hamartia (tragic flaw) (n)

The tragic figure suffers from a tragic flaw in character. As a result of this flaw s/he makes errors of judgment that are later directly responsible for the hero/ine’s tragic downfall, leading to the catastrophe of the play. At this point the protagonist still seems in control of his/her fate.

Crisis/Climax (n)

This is the turning point in the fortunes of the tragic protagonist, the consequence(s) of “hamartia” serving to compound the tragic situation. After the crisis the tragic figure seems more controlled by events than in control of them, the situation as a direct result of his/her previous action(s).

Hubris (n)

In traditional Greek tragedies, the tragic hero’s tragic flaw is often pride to excess, which is called hubris.

Catharsis (n)

The terror and pity felt by the audience of a tragedy produce catharsis, a cleansing or purifying of emotion. The audience should feel empty and limp after watching, reading, or otherwise participating in a tragedy; that feeling of emptiness is catharsis.

Soliloquy (n)

When a character speaks his/her true thoughts and feelings while alone on stage. Soliloquies reveal the character’s “real” thoughts on a subject.

Aside (n)

When a character says something privately to another character while other characters are also on stage. The line(s) are meant for one character’s ears alone. Sometimes asides are addressed to the audience.

Comic Relief (n)

A humorous scene, incident, or remark within an essentially serious or even tragic drama. Following scenes of intense emotion, comic relief evokes laughter as a release from the tension of the serious action. (Shakespearean only)