AP Lang Rhetorical Terms

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alliteration

repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence

allusion

brief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) or to a work of art

ambiguity

the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence or passage

analogy

a comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things. Often, this uses something simple or familiar to explain something unfamiliar or complex

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

anecdote

a brief story used to illustrate a point or claim

aphorism

a terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth and moral principle

argument

a process of reasoned inquiry. a persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and consideration movement from a claim to a conclusion

audience

the listener, viewer, or reader of a text. Most texts are likely to have multiple of these

claim

also called an assertion or proposition, this states the argument’s main idea or position

colloquialism

words or phrases that have a conversational feel and are not generally used in formal written English

connotation

meanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition or denotation, often positive or negative and greatly affect the authors tone

context

the circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text

denotation

the strict, literal dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude or color

diction

a speakers choice of words

emphasis

allows the writer to place importance on a particular idea

position, proportion, isolation, repetition

types of emphasis

ethos

speakers appeal to this to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic; established by both who you are and what you say

euphemism

a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts

figurative language

referred to as tropes or metaphorical language, often evoking strong imagery

hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis to produce a comic or ironic effect; an overstatement to make a point

imagery

a description of how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds; may use literal or figurative language to appeal to the senses

irony

a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected, creating a noticeable incongruity

jargon

specialized terminology used by a particular group of people. obscure and often pretentious language

juxtaposition

placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences

logos

speakers appeal to reason, by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up

metaphor

figure of speech that compares two things without using like or as

mood

the feeling or atmosphere created by a text

narration

in classical oration, the factual and background information, establishing why a subject or problem needs addressing; it precedes the confirmation, or laying out of evidence to support claims made in the argument

oxymoron

a paradox made up of two seemingly contradictory words

paradox

a statement or situation that is seemingly contradictory on the surface, but delivers an ironic truth

parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

pathos

speakers appeal to this to emotionally motivate their audience. More specific appeals to this might play on the audience’s values, desires, and hopes, on the one hand, or fears and prejudices, on the other

persona

the face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience

personification

attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea

purpose

the goal the speaker wants to achieve

rhetoric

the art of finding ways of persuading an audience

rhetorical appeals

techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling

rhetorical question

figure of speech in the form of a question posed for rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer

satire

the use of irony or sarcasm to critique society or an individual

simile

a figure of speech used to explain or clarify an idea by comparing it explicitly to something else, using the words like, as, or as though

style

a writer’s specific way of saying things; includes arrangement of ideas, word choice, syntax, and figurative language

syntax

the arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. this includes word order (subject-verb-object, for instance, or an inverted structure); the length and structure of sentences (simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex

theme

a writer’s thoughts on a topic. It is not JUST the topic, but what the author develops in terms of what he believes about the topic

tone

a speaker’s attitude toward the subject conveyed by the speaker’s stylistic and rhetorical choices

understatement

a figure of speech in which something is presented as less important, dire, urgent, good, and so on, than it actually is, often for satiric or comical effect

vernacular

the speech patterns of a particular group of people or region

voice

the unique flavor of a piece based upon the author. An author adds this to a piece by creating a tone with diction, syntax, imagery, etc. This is what makes his or her writing personal and unique