essential rhetorical terms

diction, figurative language, sound koher

tone

expresses the author’s attitude toward his or her subject. Consider the sound of the ‘voice’

attitude

a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state; a mental position with regard to a fact or state. the author’s feeing/opinion toward a subject or topic

denotation

the specific, exact meaning of a word; a dictionary definition

connotation

the emotional implications that a word may carry; implied or associated meaning for a particular word

allusion

figure of speech which makes brief reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object; a reference in one literary work to a character or theme found in another literary work

colloquial

informal, not always grammatically correct expressions that find acceptance in certain geographical areas and within certain groups of people. ex: that’s so sussy

erudite

language characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly in tone

simile

a figure of speech which takes the form of a comparison between two unlike quantities for which a basis for comparison can be found, and which uses ‘like’ or ‘as’ in the comparison

metaphor

a figure of speech wherein a comparison is made between two unlike quantities without the use of the words ‘like or as’

extended metaphor

a metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a literary work

hyperbole

exaggeration for effect and emphasis, overstatement

personification

figure of speech in which inanimate objects are given qualities of speech and/or movement

paradox

a statement which contains seemingly contradictory elements or appears contrary to common sense, yet can be seen as perhaps true when viewed from another angle

oxymoron

technique used to produce an effect by seeming self-contradicting

imagery

devices which appeal to the senses: visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory, olfactory

cliché

a worn out idea or overused expression

idiom

an expression that is common and familiar but can not be taken at its literal meaning

pun

a play on words wherein a word is used to convey two meanings at the same time

apostrophe

a figure of speech wherein the speaker speaks directly to something non-human or someone that is not present

litotes

understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary

euphemism

substitute word that sounds better than another; the use of inoffensive or neutral words to describe a harsher, more serious concept

understatement

statement in which the literal sense of what is said falls short of the magnitude oof what is being talked about

irony

the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

onomatopoeia

the use of a word to represent or imitate natural sounds

alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds

jargon

the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people

vernacular/dialect

language or dialect native to a region or country rather than a literary, cultured, or foreign language

juxtaposition

the positioning of ideas or images side by side for emphasis or to show contrast

analogy

the comparison of two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or object by showing how the idea or object is similar to some familiar one

anecdote

short narrative about a real incident or person used in a longer work or speech to make a point

hypophora

a device in which the author poses a question which is, in turn, answered unlike the rhetorical question that is not answered

absolute language

language that allows for no exceptions; i.e. all, every, never

qualified language

language that puts limitations on a claim; i.e. most, sometimes, often