Glossary of Rhetorical Terminology

AP Lang Comp for PSHS

Abstract

An abstract word, in contrast, refers to general qualities, conditions, ideas, actions or relationships that cannot be directly perceived by these senses: bravery, dedication excellence, anxiety, stress, thinking, or hatred. Although writers must use both concrete or abstract language, good writers avoid using too many abstract words. Instead, they rely on concrete words to define and illustrate abstractions. Because concrete words affect these sense, they are easily comprehended by the reader. 

Ad Hominem Argument

Comes from the Latin phrase meaning, “to the man.” It refers to an argument that attacks the opposing speaker or another person rather than addressing the issue at hand. 

Allegory

An allegory is a fictional work in which the characters represent ideas or concepts. In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, for example, the characters name Faithful, Mercy, and Mr. Worldly Wiseman are clearly meant to represent types of people rather than to be characters in their own rights.

Allusion

An allusion is a passing reference to a familiar person, place, or thing drawn from history, the Bible, mythology, or literature. An allusion is an economical way for a writer to capture the essence of an idea, atmosphere, emotion, or historical era, as in “The scandal was his Watergate”, or “He saw himself as a modern job,” or “Everyone there held those truths to be self-evident.” An allusion should be familiar to the reader; if it’s not, it will add nothing to the meaning. An allusion is a reference, usually oblique or faint, to another thing, idea, or person. For example, in this sentence, “She faced the challenge with Homeric courage,” “Homeric” is an allusion to Homer’s works, the Iliad and the Odyssey. 

Ambiguity

When something is ambiguous, it is uncertain or indefinite; it is subject to more than one interpretation. For example, you might say, “The poet’s use of the word is ambiguous,” to begin to discuss the multiple meanings suggested by the use of the word and to indicate that there is an uncertainty of interpretation.

Analogy

Analogy asks a reader to think about the correspondence or resemblance between two things that are essentially different— a form of comparison in which the writer explains something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar. For example, if you say, “The pond was as smooth as a mirror,” you ask your audience to understand two different things: “pond” and “mirror” — as being similar in some fashion. A second example is: “A transmission line is simply a pipeline for electricity.” In the case of a water pipeline, more water will flow through the pipe as water pressure increases. The same is true of a transmission line for electricity.

Anadiplosis

is the repetition of the last word of a preceding clause at the beginning of a new clause. “Having power makes [totalitarian leadership] isolated; isolation breeds insecurity; insecurity breeds suspicion and fear; suspicion and fear breed violence.”—Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Permanent Purge: Politics in Soviet Totalitarianism. 

Analytical Reading

means reading actively, paying close attention to both the content and the structure of the text. Analytical reading often involves answering several basic questions about the piece of writing under consideration:

-What does the author want to say? Main point?

-Why do they want to say it? Purpose

-What strategy do they use?

-Why and how does the strategy suit the subject and the purpose

-what is special about the way the author uses this strategy

-How effective is the essay? Why?

Anaphora

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

Anastrophe

is the inversion of the usual order of words or clauses. Authors sometimes use it to add emphasis or to achieve a desired rhythm. “It’s all part of the enigma that is Jane” instead of “Jane is an enigma".”

Antecedent

Every pronoun refers back to a previous noun or pronoun—the antecedent; antecedent is the grammatical term for the noun or pronoun from which a pronoun derives its meaning. For example, in the sentence, “The car he wanted to buy was a green one,” the pronoun “one” derives its meaning from the antecedent “car”.

Antithesis

is an opposition or contrast of ideas that is often expressed in balanced phrases or clauses. For example, “Whereas he was boisterous, I was reserved” is a sentence that balances two antithetical observations.

Apostrophe

is a figure of speech in which an absent person or personified object is addressed by a speaker. For example, “love” is personified and addressed as though present in the sentence, “Oh love, where have you gone?

Apotheosis

The word “apotheosis” is derived from Greek word deify. Apotheosis occurs in literature when a character or a thing is elevated to such a high status that it appears godlike.

Coherence

Coherence is a quality of good writing that results when all sentences, paragraphs, and longer divisions of an essay are naturally connected. Coherent writing is achieved through 1. a logical sequence of ideas (arranged in chronological order, spatial order, order of importance, or some other appropriate order) 2. the thoughtful repetition of keywords and ideas, 3. a pace suitable for your topic and your reader, and 4. the use of transitional words and expressions. Unity is a related concept, but it is not the same.