AP Lang Rhetorical Terms

allusion

 A reference to some famous literary work, historical figure, or event.

argumentation

Argumentation is the writer's attempt to convince his reader to agree with him. It is based upon appeals to reason, evidence proving the argument, and sometimes emotion to persuade. Some arguments attempt to merely prove a point, but others go beyond proving to inciting the reader to action. At the heart of all argumentation lies a debatable issue. 

coherence

The principle of clarity and logical adherence to a topic that binds together all parts of a composition. A coherent essay is one whose parts--sentences, paragraphs, pages--are logically fused into a single whole. Its opposite is an incoherent essay--one that is jumbled, illogical, and unclear.

description

A rhetorical mode used to develop an essay whose primary aim is to depict a scene, person, thing, or idea. Descriptive writing evokes the look, feel, sound, and sense of events, people, or things.

diction

word choice. Diction refers to the choice of words a writer uses in an essay or other writing. 

Implicit in the idea of diction is a vast vocabulary of synonyms - different words that have more or less equivalent meanings. If only one word existed for every idea or condition, diction would not exist. But since we have a choice of words with various shades of meaning, a writer can and does choose among words to express ideas. The diction of skilled writers is determined by the audience and occasion of their writing. 

exposition

Writing whose chief aim is to explain. Rather than showing, as in narration, exposition tells. A majority of essays contain some exposition because they need to convey information, give background, or tell how events occurred or processes work. 

figurative language

 Said of a word or expression used in a nonliteral way.

hyperbole

A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.

image/imagery

 An image is a phrase or expression that evokes a picture or describes a scene.

irony

The use of language in such a way that apparent meaning contrasts sharply with the real meaning. In verbal irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning. In situational irony, events turn out the opposite of what was expected. What the characters and readers think ought to happen is what does happen. In dramatic irony, facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.

metaphor

 A figurative image that implies the similarity between things otherwise dissimilar

mood

The pervading impression made on the feelings of the reader.

narration

An account of events as they happen. A narrative organizes material on the basis of chronological order or pattern, stressing the sequence of events and pacing these events according to the emphasis desired. Narration is often distinguished from three other modes of writing: argumentation, description and exposition. 

oxymoron

an oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author 

groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

pacing

The speed at which a piece of writing moves along. Pacing depends on the balance between summarizing action and representing action in detail. Syntax can also affect pacing. 

paradox

a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

parody

a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.

parallelism

The principle of coherent writing requiring that coordinating elements be given the same grammatical form

personification

Attributing human qualities to objects, abstractions, or animals

point of view

The perspective from which a piece of writing is developed. In nonfiction the point of view is usually the author's. In fiction the point of view can be first- or third-person point of view.

rhetoric

The art of using persuasive language. The art of analyzing all the choices involving language that a writer, speaker, reader, or listener might make in a situation so that the text becomes meaningful, purposeful, and effective; the specific features of texts, written or spoken, that cause them to be meaningful, purposeful, and effective for readers or listeners in a situation.

rhetorical modes

this flexible term describe the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing. (1) The purpose of exposition is to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion. The AP language exam essay questions are frequently set up as expository topics. (2) The purpose of argumentation is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, discussion, and argument that thoroughly convince the reader. Persuasive writing is a type of argumentation having an additional aim of urging some form of action. (3) The purpose of description is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that being described. Sometimes an author engages all five senses in description; good descriptive writing can be sensuous and picturesque. Descriptive writing may be straightforward and objective or highly emotional and subjective. (4) The purpose of narration is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events.

simile

A figure of speech which, like the metaphor, implies a similarity between things otherwise dissimilar. The simile, however, always uses the words like, as, or so to introduce the comparison

slanting

The characteristic of selecting facts, words, or emphasis to achieve a preconceived intent

style

The way a writer writes.