Rhetorical Terms 2

allusion

a reference to a person, place, or event outside of the text meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea

analogy

a comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things

anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

anecdote

a brief narrative often used to illustrate an idea or make a point

antimetabole

the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order

antithesis

a rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences

aphorism

a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment 

apostrophe

an utterance that addresses a person not present or a personified thing

clause

a structural element of a sentence, consisting of a grammatical subject and predicate

dramatic irony

a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character

epigram

a concise, but ingenious, witty and thoughtful statement

epistrophe

the repetition of words or phrases at the ends of the clauses or sentences

euphemism

a mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term

irony

a mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm

metonymy

a figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated

paradox

a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true

parallel structure

the structure required for expressing two or more grammatical elements of equal rank

polysyndeton

the repetition of conjunctions in close succession

predicate

the part of a sentence that is not the grammatical subject

rebuttal or refutation

the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments are anticipated and answered

thesis/claim

the main idea of a piece of discourse

symbolism

the use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which the part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part

verbal irony

a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words