ELA 30-1 All Language, Rhetoric & Writing Techniques vocab

diction

word choice in writing or speech

tone

writer’s attitude toward subject

style

way a writer expresses ideas

voice

writer’s personality in text

purpose

goal of a text or speech

audience

target readers or listeners

rhetoric

persuasive use of language

rhetorical devices

persuasive techniques in writing

ethos

credibility appeal

logos

logical appeal

pathos

emotional appeal

persuasion

influencing beliefs or actions

argument

statement supported by reasons

thesis

main argument or claim

analysis

detailed examination of something

critical analysis

evaluation using structured thinking

synthesis

combining ideas into one

deduction

logic from general to specific

inference

conclusion based on evidence

ambiguity

unclear meaning

semantics

study of meaning in language

parallelism

repeated grammatical structure

anaphora

repetition at beginnings

asyndeton

omission of conjunctions

chiasmus

reversed parallel structure

hyperbole

exaggeration for effect

epigram

short witty statement

aphorism

short wise statement

maxim

short rule or truth

propaganda

biased persuasive information