Rhetorical Terms #1

Allegory

A piece of visual or narrative media uses one thing to "stand in for" a different, hidden idea. It's a little bit like an algebraic equation, like y = 2x, but in the form of art. Like in algebra, when we talk about meaning in allegory, we have two different variables we're thinking about, but we don't call them X and Y. Instead, we call them the tenor and the vehicle. A "tenor" is the "hidden" concept, object, idea, or ulterior meaning; and the "vehicle" is the word, image, or narrative in the story that "carries" it.

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning or in the middle of two or more adjacent words.

Allusion

A reference to a written or spoken text to another text or to some particular body of knowledge.

Anadiplosis

The repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause.

Anaphora

The repetition of a group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

Anecdote

A brief narrative offered in a text to capture the audience's attention or to support a generalization or claim.

Anticipated objection

The technique a writer or speaker uses in an argumentative text to address and answer objections, even though the audience has not had the opportunity to voice these objections.

Antimetabole

The repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order-for example, "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy."

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas, often in parallel structure-for example, "Place your virtues on a pedestal; put your vices under a rock."

Anthimeria (also known as antimeria)

The substitution of one part of speech for another-for example, "The poet says we 'milestone our lives.'' or "The little old lady turtled down the road."

Apologist

A person or character who makes a case for some controversial, even contentious, position.