APLANG Rhetorical devices

Ad hominem

Appealing to one's prejudice, emotions, or special interest rather than to one's reason

Allusion

Reference to a well-known person, place, or situation from history, literature, or the arts; used to make a comparison

Anecdote

A brief narrative describing an interesting or amusing event

Antithesis

A direct juxtaposition of structurally parallel words, phrases, or clauses for the purpose of contrast

Aside

A digression from the main point

Concession

Acknowledgement of objections to a proposal; an act or an example of conceding, yielding, or compromising in some way, often grudgingly or unwillingly

Connotative meaning

Implied additional meaning (EX: Patriotism can have some negative connotations for people)

Dangling participle

A participle that is not grammatically linked to the word it is intended to modify. In "Driving down the street, the house came into view," "driving" is a dangling participle

Ellipsis

A sign (such as ...) used in printed text to show that words have been left out

Epithet

A term used as a descriptive and qualifying substitute for the name of a person, place or thing

Exemplification

An example of something

Exemplum

The citation of an example, either truthful or fictitious

Hyperbole

A deliberate exaggeration

Idiomatic

Character of a specific style, or using a distinctive style

Imagery

Mental images evoked by words; vivid and descriptive language that adds depth

Inversion

An alteration of the normal order of words or phrases in a grammatical construction, usually for rhetorical effect. Coleridge's "The helmsman steered; the ship moved on; yet never a breeze up blew" ends with an anastrophe.

Jargon

Highly technical language used by a specific group

Linguistic

Relating to language or languages

Metaphor

The concept of understanding one thing in terms of another; a description of one thing achieved by comparing it to another thing; no "like" or "as"

Metonymy

A figure of speech which substitutes one word or phrase for another with which it is closely associated. Example: "The White House had no comment." (White House = the President's representatives)

Paradox

A statement, proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true; a statement or proposition that contradicts itself

Paradoxical

Something with two meanings that don't make sense together

Parallelism

Repetition of the same grammatical structure to call attention to the ideas within the structure

Parenthesis/Parenthetical

An explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence inserted into a passage that is not essential to the literal meaning

Pathetic Fallacy

The attribution of human characteristics to nature or to inanimate objects, as in the phrase "the angry waves"

Periodic sentence

A complex sentence in which the main clause is left unfinished until the end in order to create the effect of anticipation or suspense. Example - "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance," 1841)

Personification

A figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form or qualities

Premise

A proposition that forms the basis of an argument or from which a conclusion is drawn; thesis

Qualification

The modification or limitation of something, e.g. in meaning, scope, or strength

Refutation

Proving something to be false or somebody to be in error; to deny an allegation

Repetition/Restatement

Presenting certain words, phrases, or ideas repeatedly to reinforce understanding

Rhetorical question

A question with an obvious answer used to call attention to an issue (no response expected)

Simile

A figure of speech that indirectly compares two different things by employing conjunctions such as "like" or "as"

Straw man

An argument that is a logical fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position

Syllogism

A type of valid argument that states if the first two claims are true, then the conclusion is true. Example: Claim 1: People are mortal. Claim 2: Bob is a person. Therefore, Claim 3: Bob is mortal. (Started by Aristotle.)

Symbolism

Use of something concrete to express something abstract; ex: a key symbolizes freedom; darkness symbolizes evil

Understatement

Expressing an idea as less important that it actually is for emphasis, politeness, or tact

Digression

A temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing