Rhetorical Devices and Language Techniques

Flashcards of rhetoric and speech definitions.

Repetition

Deliberate repeating of words or phrases to emphasize important ideas and make them stick in the audience’s mind.

Anaphora

Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive sentences or clauses to create rhythm and build emotional intensity.

Epistrophe

Repeating a word or phrase at the end of successive sentences or clauses to emphasize a point and add rhythm.

Rhetorical Questions

Questions posed to engage the audience and provoke thought, without expecting an actual answer.

Rule of Three

Presenting ideas or phrases in groups of three, which is easier to remember and feels complete and satisfying.

Alliteration and Assonance

Repeating consonant sounds (alliteration) or vowel sounds (assonance) to add musicality and make phrases catchy.

Antithesis

Juxtaposing contrasting ideas in a balanced structure to highlight differences and create impact

Ethos

Establishing the speaker’s credibility, authority, and trustworthiness to persuade the audience.

Pathos

Appealing to the audience’s emotions-such as hope, fear, or compassion-to create a strong emotional connection.

Logos

Using logical reasoning, facts, statistics, and evidence to appeal to the audience’s sense of reason.

Inclusive Language

Using pronouns like “we,” “us,” and “our” to create a sense of unity and involve the audience.

Imagery

Using vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create mental pictures and evoke emotions.

Punctuation

Strategic use of commas, dashes, ellipses, exclamation marks, and pauses to control pacing and emphasize key points.

Tone

The speaker’s attitude or mood conveyed through word choice and delivery, such as passionate, hopeful, serious, or urgent.

Diction

The choice of words-whether formal, informal, simple, or complex-that shapes the speech’s style and how the message is received.

Anecdotes

Short personal stories or examples used to illustrate a point, make the speech relatable, and engage the audience emotionally.

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, event, or text to add deeper meaning and connect the speech to broader ideas.

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical structures in successive phrases or sentences to create rhythm and make ideas easier to follow and remember.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration used to emphasize a point or evoke strong feelings.

Understatement

Downplaying something to create irony or to subtly highlight its importance.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unrelated things to create vivid imagery and deepen understanding.

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as” to make descriptions more relatable and vivid.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things to make abstract ideas more tangible and engaging.

Tricolon

A specific form of the rule of three, where three parallel elements increase in intensity or importance

Juxtaposition

Placing two ideas or images close together to highlight contrast or create new meaning.

Irony

Expressing something contrary to what is expected, often to highlight a point or criticize.

Direct Address

Speaking directly to the audience using “you” to engage listeners personally and make the speech feel immediate.

Emotive Language

Using words that evoke strong feelings to persuade or motivate the audience.

Colloquial Language

Using informal, everyday language to build rapport and make the speech more relatable.

Formal Language

Using elevated, sophisticated language to convey authority and seriousness.

Symbolism

Using symbols to represent ideas or qualities, adding deeper layers of meaning.

Anecdotal Evidence

Using personal stories or experiences to support an argument and make it more convincing.

Call to Action

A direct appeal urging the audience to take specific steps or adopt a particular viewpoint.

Contrast

Highlighting differences between ideas or situations to clarify points or persuade.

Climax

Arranging ideas in order of increasing importance or intensity to build excitement or emphasis.