Rhetorical Terms 26-50

example

An illustration or incident offered in support of a generalization, claim, or point.

extended analogy

An extended passage arguing that if two things are similar in one or two ways, they are probably similar in other ways as well.

generalization

A point that a speaker or writer generates on the basis of considering a number of particular examples.

genre

A piece of writing classified by type—for example, letter, narrative, eulogy, or editorial.

hyperbole

An exaggeration, or overstatement, for effect.

induction / inductive reasoning

Reasoning that begins by citing a number of specific instances or examples and then shows how collectively they constitute a general principle. Reasoning that moves from a number of particulars to a general conclusion.

inductive leap

Because we cannot test every instance (past, present, future), we take the leap from “most” or “some” to “all.” We reach a generalization.

inference

A conclusion that a reader or listener reaches by means of his or her own thinking rather than be direct statement in a text.

intention

The goal a writer or speaker hopes to achieve with the text—for example, to clarify difficult material, to inform, to convince, or to persuade. Also called aim and purpose.

irony

Writing or speaking that implies the contrary of what is actually written or spoken.

jargon

The specialized vocabulary of a particular group.

logic

The art of reasoning.

logos

The appeal of a text based on the logical structure of its argument or central ideas.

mood

The feeling that a text is intended to produce in the audience.

occasion

The part of context also referred to as time and place.

paradox -

A seemingly contradictory situation which is actually true. “You can't get a job without experience, and you can't get experience without getting a job.”

parallelism –

Sentence construction which places equal grammatical constructions near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns. ——— is used to add emphasis, organization, or sometimes pacing to writing. “Cinderella swept the floor, dusted the mantle, and beat the rugs.”

(also known as parallel structure or balanced sentences.)

pathos

The appeal of a text to the emotions or interests of the audience.

persona

The character that a writer or speaker conveys to the audience;

persuasion

The changing of people’s minds or actions by language.

polysyndeton

Stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession, in order to achieve an artistic effect.

premise, major

The first premise in a syllogism. The ——— states an irrefutable generalization.

premise, minor

The second premise in a syllogism. The minor premise offers a particular instance of the generalization state in the major premise.

pun

A play on words. include, for example, anataclasis, words that sound alike but have different meanings (“The spoiled turkey meat was fowl most foul”) and syllepsis, a word used differently in relation to two other words it governs or modifies (“Bright lights attract flies and celebrity watchers”).

purpose

The goal a writer or speaker hopes to achieve with the text—for example, to clarify difficult material, to inform, to convince, and/or to persuade. Also called aim and intention.

fallacy

an attractive but unreliable piece of reasoning. Writers do not want to make obvious fallacies in their reasoning, but they are often used unintentionally, or when the writer thinks they can get away with faulty logic.

Ad hominem

Latin for "against the man". Personally attacking your opponents instead of their arguments. It is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, feeling rather than intellect.

Hasty generalization

A generalization based on too little or unrepresentative data. “My uncle didn’t go to college, and he makes a lot of money. So, people who don’t go to college do just as well as those who do.”

Non Sequitur

A conclusion that does not follow from its premises; an invalid argument. “Hinduism is one of the world’s largest religious groups. It is also one of the world’s oldest religions. Hinduism helps millions of people lead happier, more productive lives. Therefore the principles of Hinduism must be true.”

Slippery slope

The assumption that once started, a situation will continue to its most extreme possible outcome. “If you drink a glass of wine, then you’ll soon be drinking all the time, and then you’ll become a homeless alcoholic.”