rhetoric

Tricolon Crescens

Definition: A tricolon in increasing intensity or size.
Example: “Days, weeks, years.”
Effect: Builds momentum.

Tricolon

Definition: A series of three elements.

Effect: Rhythm and completeness.

Rhetorical Question

Definition: A question with an obvious answer.

Effect: Engages audience, implies agreement.

Preterition

Definition: Mentioning something by pretending not to mention it.
Example: “I won’t even talk about his corruption.”
Effect: Ironic emphasis.

Polyptoton

Definition: Repeating the same word in different grammatical forms.

Effect: Highlights versatility of meaning.

Parallelism

Definition: Repetition of grammatical structure.

Effect: Connects ideas structurally.

Merism

Definition: Naming parts to represent the whole.
Example: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.”
Effect: Adds richness and detail.

Litotes

Definition: Understatement by negating the opposite.

Effect: Downplays, often ironically.

Epizeuxis

Definition: Immediate repetition of a word.
Example: “The horror! The horror!”
Effect: Emphasizes a single idea.

Epistrophe

Definition: Repetition at the end of phrases or clauses.
Example: “...as a child, ...as a child, ...as a child.”
Effect: Emphasizes the predicate/action.

Double Epithet

Definition: Two similar words joined by a conjunction.

Effect: Adds depth.

Diacope

Definition: Repetition of a word/phrase with an interruption.

Effect: Adds emphasis.

Chiasmus

Definition: Reversal in structure or wording.

Effect: Shifts perspective.

Anaphora

Definition: Repetition at the beginning of phrases or clauses.

Effect: Emphasizes the subject.

Allusion

Definition: A reference to a well-known event, text, or figure.
Example: “He met his Waterloo.”
Effect: Connects across time/place.

Ethos

Definition: Appeal to credibility; relies on the speaker's character or expertise.
Example: A doctor giving medical advice.

Pathos

Definition: Appeal to emotion; targets audience’s feelings.
Example: A story meant to evoke sympathy or anger.

Logos

Definition: Appeal to logic and reason; a well-structured argument.

Example: Using statistics to support a claim.