AP lang flashcards #6

Rhetorical Devices

Aporia

A state of doubt. It expresses uncertainty to challenge assumptions and fuel critical thinking

Chiasmus

A sentence in which two words in the first half are crisscrossed in the second half.

Asyndeton 

omits conjunctions (like "and," "but," or "or") in a sentence to create a sense of speed, urgency, and emphasis. Comes from the Greek word for “unconnected”.

Syndeton

A sentence where words, phrases, or clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions, like "and," "but," or "or". It’s a standard way of constructing sentences.

Synecdoche

a figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part

Metonymy

a figure of speech where a word or phrase is substituted for another that is closely associated with it

Catharsis

the process of releasing strong or suppressed emotions to achieve a sense of relief and renewal.

Anadiplosis

The repetition of the last word or phrase of one clause, sentence, or line at the beginning of the next.

Tautology

the unnecessary repetition of an idea using different words, often considered a stylistic flaw

Parody

A humorous imitation of a specific literary or artistic work, genre, or style.

Satire

the use of humor, exaggeration, or irony to expose and criticize somethings flaws

Malapropism

an error where a word is replaced with a similar-sounding one that has a different meaning

Non Sequitur

a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow the previous argument or statement

Zeugma

a single word, usually a verb or noun, is used to govern two or more other words in the same sentence, applying to each in a different sense or in a grammatically different way.

Aphorism

a concise observation that contains a general truth.

Cliche

an overused, unoriginal phrase or idea that has lost its original impact and effectiveness due to excessive repetition

Deus Ex Machina

a sudden, unexpected, and artificial solution is introduced to resolve a seemingly insoluble problem in a story. Latin translation of Greek for “god from the machine”

Colloquialism

a literary device used to create a sense of realism, authenticity, and character by mimicking informal speech

Hyperbole

using deliberate, extreme exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect, not meant to be taken literally

Litotes

understatement is used to emphasize a point by negating the contrary, often using a double negative, to express an affirmative idea