11 Forms of Support/Jolliffe Quiz

style

Rhetorical Style consists of the choices a writer makes regarding words, phrases, and sentences.

Jargon

Technical language particular to a certain group, not commonly used or known.

Slang

Very coloquial variety of language; we use it in highly informal situations, in speech, and with people very much from a similar social background to us.

Active Voice

The subject is performing the action

Passive voice

The subject is having the action done to it

Simple Sentence

- Does a short, simple sentence suggest that you are in control?   Ex. It does.

Compound Sentence -

Does a compound sentence suggest balance and equal importance of ideas?  Ex. It can, and it does.

Loose Sentence

The main details are found AFTER the main idea.

Example: The elephants proceeded on their walk, pounding the dry dirt, and swinging their trunks.

Loose and simple sentences read much faster than more complicated, periodic, complex, and even compound sentences.

Periodic Sentence -

The details are found BEFORE the main idea.

Example: In spite of heavy snow and cold temperatures, the game continued.

Euphony/Euphonious

 the quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words

Example: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,/So long lives this, and this gives life to thee (Sonnet 18)

Cacophony/Cacophonous

a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

Example: 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:/All mimsy were the borogoves,/And the mome raths outgrabe (Lewis Carroll, "Jabberwocky," Alice in Wonderland)

Ladder of Abstraction

A way of organizing ideas that move up from specific to general

Schemes and Tropes

a different way of saying something about the world indicates a different way of seeing something different in the world

SCHEME

is any artful variation from the typical arrangement of words in a sentence AKA figures of speech that deal with word order, syntax, letters, and sounds, rather than the meaning of words

TROPE

 is any artful variation from the typical or expected way a word or idea is expressed AKA figurative language (manipulating the meanings of words)

Schemes Involving Balance

Ideas expressed in the same grammatical form to balance ideas that fulfill a similar function; ensures the writing is measured, deliberate, and balanced.

Words balance words; phrases balance phrases, etc.

Incorrect Examples - I enjoy water skiing, to fish, and apples.

   - Either she likes to see him or doesn't like seeing him.

My errands for the day include going to the dry cleaners, to the supermarket, and to the bank.

Parallelism

Ideas expressed in the same grammatical form to balance ideas that fulfill a similar function; ensures the writing is measured, deliberate, and balanced.

Incorrect: Either she likes to see him or doesn't like seeing him.

Correct: "Today's students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude." -Jesse Jackson

Zeugma

a figure in which more than one item in a sentence is governed by a single word

Ex. She broke his car and his heart.

       In quick succession, Susan lost her job, her house, and her mind!

Antithesis

parallelism of words, phrases, or clauses that contrast.

Antithesis of Words  - a love-hate relationship

Antithesis of Phrases - "To err is human; to forgive divine." - Alexander Pope

Antithesis of Clauses - "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" (Tale of Two Cities - Dickens) "Fair is foul and foul is fair" (Macbeth - Shakespeare)

Antimetabole

repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order (Repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order 

Examples -  When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. - Kennedy

Fair is foul and foul is fair - Shakespeare, Macbeth

Ellipsis

any omission of words, the meaning of which is provided by the context of the overall context of the passage.  Ex. I ordered two pizzas, and I, one.  

Ex.  His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was . . .

. . . One autumn night, five years before, they had been walking down the street when the leaves were falling, they came to a place where there were no trees and the sidewalk was white with moonlight.     (Chapter 6)

Asyndeton

omission of a conjunction between related clauses; makes text more dramatic and effective by speeding up its rhythm and pace.

Example: We have our book, our Chromebook, our pens, our highlighters, our stapler, our paper, our diet Pepsi.

Alliteration

repetition of sounds at the beginning or middle of two or more adjacent words

Assonance - Repetition of vowel sounds / Consonance - Repetition of consonant sounds   Ex.  “And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain" (Poe)

Anaphora

 repetition of same group of words at the beginning of a sentence

 Ex:    Theirs not to make reply

            Theirs not to reason why,

            Theirs but to do and die.

Ex.  Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition! (King John - Shakespeare)

 Anadiplosis

repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause.  Ex. Getting up early will give you time for exercising; exercising leads to weight loss; weight loss leads to being healthier; being healthier leads to feeling better about life.

Epistrophe

 repetition of same group of words at the end of successive clauses    Ex:  "Where affections bear rule, their reason is subdued, honesty is subdued, good will is subdued, and all things else that withstand evil, forever are subdued" (Lincoln).

Climax

Ex.  I will try my best for myself, my family, my school, my community, and my world.

Polysyndeton

repetition of conjunctions in close succession 

Example: "as in we have ships and men and money"

Antanaclasis

to repeat a word or phrase but with a different meaning than in the first case.Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

• “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired, with enthusiasm.”—Vince Lombardi, football coach

• “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.”—Vidal Sassoon hairdresser

• “Cats like Felix like Felix.”—Felix cat food (with a mascot of a cat named Felix)

• “People on the go . . . go for diet Pepsi.”

Euphemism

a polite or mild word or expression used to refer to something embarrassing, taboo, or unpleasant.

Ex.  letting someone go instead of firing an employee  passed away instead of died

thrifty or frugal instead of cheap between jobs instead of unemployed under the weather

Synecdoche

 a part of something is used to refer to the whole 

Lending a hand, losing your head, keeping your eyes on me, "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears" (Shakespeare)

Metonymy

an entity is referred to by one of its attributes; a figure of speech in which an object or idea is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it, as opposed to by its own name.  Ex. Neuqua Valley announced that all AP students are the best.  The Crown = Power of Monarchy; The White House invited our class for a visit.

Hyperbole

exaggeration; not meant to be taken literally

Ex. These heels are killing me.  I have a million things to do.

Litotes

Understating something to draw attention to it.

Ex. Winning five state championships in a row was no small feat for the team.

"'Tis but a flesh wound" (Monty Python)

Enthymeme

an argument with a hidden premise.  usually developed from premises that accord with the audience's view of the world and what is taken to be common sense.  the unstated argument.

ANECDOTE

 Use brief stories to make abstract issues more concrete. They can be personal narratives or fables that lead everyone to the same conclusion. 

ANALOGY

A one to one_ comparison between similar situations. It argues that because situation A works in a certain way, situation B must also work in an exactly similar way. 

CAUSE AND EFFECT 

Establishes a causal relationship between two factors. If a_ happens, then b will be the result. 

CONTRASTING FEATURES

Show the differences between two situations to argue that the same logic or conclusions cannot be applied to both. 

DEFINITION/CLASSIFICATION 

Strengthens your position by defining, categorizing, or re-defining key issues. This can give issues a new perspective and help you find new solutions.

EXAMPLES

Specific, factual instances that support your argument. They don't require guesswork because they directly illustrate the point you are making. 

EXPLANATION

The most basic form of support, where the person making the argument simply explains their position.

 EXPERT TESTIMONY

Adds tremendous weight_ to an argument and cannot be ignored. 

HYPOTHETICAL ILLUSTRATION

 A completely fabricated story designed to illustrate a position or develop an issue. Only features relevant to the issue are included.

STATISTICS

 use numbers or figures from careful research and analysis to mathematically quantify a position.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RESPONSE

Identify and respond to potential counterarguments before they are even made. This forces your opponents to quickly adjust their position. 

Parenthesis

where you insert an qualifying or explanatory word, phrase, or sentence into a passage that is already grammatically complete. Often set off by dashes. Sets off an interruptive word, phrase, or clause.

Appositive

Two coordinating elements are set side by side, and the second explains or modifies the first.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in the STRESSED- syllables of two or more adjacent words.

Metaphor

a rhetorical figure of speech that directly compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another, without using the words "like" or "as"

Simile

a rhetorical device and figure of speech that compares two different things using the words “like,” “as,” or “than”

implied metaphor

a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without naming one of them directly. Instead of stating "A is B" (like a direct metaphor, such as "my boss is a shark"), an implied metaphor uses a verb, noun, or modifier associated with the hidden object to hint at the connection. This creates vivid, subtle imagery by letting you make the connection yourself.

"The sergeant barked orders at the troops."

• The hidden comparison: The sergeant is compared to an aggressive dog.

• How it works: The verb "barked" implies the comparison without ever saying the word "dog"

Personification

Inanimate objects are given human characteristics

Periphrasis

A descriptive or roundabout word or phrase is used to refer to a proper name.

Instead of "the sun": Saying "the bright celestial body that gives light to the Earth" or "the radiant orb that graces the morning sky".

pun

A word that suggests two of its meanings or the meaning of a homonym.

anthimera

One part of speech (usually a verb) substitutes for another, usually a noun

• Nouns used as verbs: "Let's google the answer," "I need to text you," or saying someone is "adulting".

• Adjectives used as nouns: Saying "have a good sleep" or calling an attractive person a "handsome".

• Verbs used as nouns: Saying "give it a like" on social media.

irony

Words are meant to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. When irony has a biting/bitter tone, it’s called sarcasm

Oxymoron

Words that have apparently contradictory meanings are placed near each other.

Aching pleasure

Rhetorical question

A question is designed not to secure an answer but to more the development of an idea forward and suggest a point. l