SF P2

Absolute Language

Language that leaves no room for doubt or ambiguity; it makes definitive statements. (Example: 'There is absolutely no chance of failure.')

Ad Hominem Fallacy

A fallacy that attacks the character or motive of a person instead of addressing the argument itself. (Example: 'You can't trust John's argument on climate change because he is not a scientist.')

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. (Example: 'He has the Midas touch when it comes to investments.')

Anadiplosis

A rhetorical device where the last word of a clause is repeated at the beginning of the next clause. (Example: 'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.')

Analogy

A comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. (Example: 'Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.')

Anaphora

The deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence to achieve an artistic effect. (Example: 'Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.')

Antimetabole

A literary device that involves repeating a phrase in reverse order. (Example: 'Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.')

Antiphrasis

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is used in a sense opposite to its usual meaning for irony. (Example: 'Oh great! Another rainy day!')

Antithetical Language

Language that expresses contrasting or opposing ideas. (Example: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.')

Aphorism

A concise statement that expresses a general truth or principle. (Example: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.')

Argumentum Ad Baculum

A fallacy that appeals to force or the threat of force to persuade. (Example: 'You should agree with this policy or you'll lose your job.')

Bandwagon Appeal

A persuasive technique that encourages someone to do something because others are doing it. (Example: 'Everyone is switching to this brand of shampoo; you should too!')

Chiasmus

A rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order. (Example: 'Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.')

Conditional Sentence

A sentence expressing a condition and its consequence, usually stated in the form 'if... then....' (Example: 'If it rains, then the picnic will be cancelled.')

Connotation

The implied or associative meaning of a word, beyond its literal definition. (Example: 'Home' connotes warmth and comfort.)

Cumulative Sentence

A sentence that starts with an independent clause and is followed by additional phrases. (Example: 'The dog barked, excited by the arrival of its owner, wagging its tail madly and jumping on the door.')

Declarative Sentence

A sentence that makes a statement or expresses an opinion. (Example: 'The sky is blue.')

Double Entendre

A figure of speech that has a double meaning, one of which is often risqué or ironic. (Example: 'The chicken is ready to be roasted.')

Either-Or Fallacy

A fallacy that presents only two options when, in fact, more options may exist. (Example: 'You either support this policy or you're against it.')

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences. (Example: 'Of the people, by the people, for the people.')

Generalization

A general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases. (Example: 'All politicians are corrupt.')

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. (Example: 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.')

Imperative Sentence

A sentence that gives a command or request. (Example: 'Please close the door.')

Inclusive Language

Language that seeks to include all people and avoids exclusion based on gender, race, or class. (Example: 'Everyone should follow their dreams.')

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly refers to one thing by mentioning another for rhetorical effect. (Example: 'Time is a thief.')

Narrative Pace

The speed at which a story progresses, which can heighten suspense or emotion. (Example: 'The narrative slowed down during the emotional scenes to enhance the impact.')

Parallelism

The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically similar or identical in structure, sound, meaning, or meter. (Example: 'I came, I saw, I conquered.')

Periodic Sentence

A complex sentence that presents its central meaning at the end. (Example: 'In spite of the rain, the game continued.')

Polysyndeton

The use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where they are not needed. (Example: 'I need to buy eggs and milk and bread and butter.')

Pun

A form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similarity in sound for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. (Example: 'Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.')

Qualified Language

Language that limits a statement by adding words like 'sometimes' or 'perhaps' to indicate uncertainty or variability. (Example: 'Children are sometimes noisy.')

Reduction Ad Absurdum

A technique used to refute an argument by showing that it leads to an absurd conclusion. (Example: 'If we allow students to redo tests, next they'll want to redo their entire semester!')

Rhetorical Question

A question asked to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer. (Example: 'Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do “practice”?' )

Salutation

A greeting, often used at the beginning of a letter or speech. (Example: 'Dear Sir or Madam.')

Satiric Tone

A tone that uses humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize or mock. (Example: 'The government's new tax policy is a masterpiece of financial wizardry.')

Slippery-Slope Fallacy

A fallacy that assumes a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant impact. (Example: 'If we allow students to retake tests, soon they will want to retake the entire school year.')

Syllogistic Reasoning

A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises). (Example: 'All humans are mortal. Socrates is a human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.')

Tense (Past vs. Present Verb Tense; Perfect Verb Tense; Progressive Verb Tense)

The grammatical category that locates a situation in time, which can be expressed in various forms such as past, present, or future tenses. (Example: 'I eat' (present), 'I ate' (past), 'I will eat' (future).')

Zeugma

A figure of speech in which a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence. (Example: 'She broke his car and his heart.')