Rhetorical Devices Vocabulary

Logos

Uses logic, reasoning, factual evidence, to support their argument and persuade the audience.

Pathos

Appeals to the audiences’ emotions, aiming to evoke feelings such as pity, sadness, or sympathy.

Ethos

Refers to the credibility or ethical appeal of the speaker or writer.

Rhetoric

The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, often utilizing various techniques to influence the audience's perception and response.

Statistic

A fact or piece of data from a study of a large quantity of numerical data.

Rhetorical Question

Lays emphasis on some point being discussed when no real answer is expected.

Anecdote

A short and often personal story used as a way to illustrate a point or engage the audience emotionally.

Ad Hominem

Involves attacking an opponent’s character, motive, or personal attributes instead of addressing the substance of their argument.

False Cause

Assumes that because one event follows another, the first event must have caused the second.

Hasty Generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion based on insufficient evidence or a limited sample size.

Understatement

Intentionally makes something seem less important or impactful than it actually is.

Concession

Acknowledges a point made by one’s opponent, indicating an understanding of differing opinions.

Logical Fallacy

Errors in reasoning that can affect how someone thinks or feels about something.

Appeal to Bandwagon

Persuades readers to agree with the majority or that many people agree with, use too, or still do.

Appeal to Patriotism

Appeals to the readers' sense of national pride or loyalty to encourage support for an idea.

Cliche Thinking

Overused phrases or descriptions that have lost their original impact through repetition.

Charges Language

Words used to express an opinion or evoke a certain emotion, usually anger.

Stereotype

Constructs the image of a person or group through generalization.

Slippery Slope

Claims that relatively small changes will inevitably lead to significant and undesirable consequences.

Straw Man

Misrepresents someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

False Dilemma

Oversimplifies an argument by offering a limited number of options when more exist.

Red Herring

A rhetorical device that diverts attention from the topic at hand.

Appeal to Tradition

Reinforces cultural norms, beliefs, or societal practices.