AP Lang

Circumlocution

Circumlocution

The use of many words where fewer could do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive.

Synthesis

The combination of ideas to form a theory or system.

Antistrophon

Turning the argument back to the other person.

Sanguine

Optimistic or positive, especially in a bad or difficult situation.

Mode

A broad category of literary moods and methods that are not assigned to a specific form or genre.

Epiphany

The moment when a character is suddenly struck with a life-changing realization that changes the rest of the story.

Taut

Stretched or pulled tight; not slack or tense; not relaxed.

Rode

The past tense of ride

Derived

Received, obtained, or arising from a particular source or in a particular way.

Throne

A ceremonial chair for a sovereign, bishop, or similar figure.

Hasty Generalization

Making a claim based on evidence that is just too small

Pragmatic

Relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters

Catachresis

The use of a word in a way that is not correct

Red Herring

Something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue

Catastasis

The part of a drama, preceding the catastrophe, in which the action is at its height; the climax of a play

Palindrome

A word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward

Hyperbaton

an inversion of the normal order of words, especially for the sake of emphasis, as in the sentence

Taught

Show or explain to (someone) how to do something in past tense

Repetition

The action of repeating something that has already been said or written

Road

A wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface that vehicles can use

Appeal to Ignorance

This fallacy occurs when someone argues that a claim is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa. It relies on the lack of evidence or knowledge to support a conclusion.

Scare Tactics

This refers to the use of fear or threats to manipulate someone's beliefs or actions. It involves using emotional appeals rather than logical reasoning.

Non Sequitur

This fallacy occurs when a conclusion does not logically follow from the premises or evidence presented. It involves making a claim or statement that is unrelated or irrelevant to the previous argument.

Slippery Slope

This fallacy occurs when someone argues that a particular event will inevitably lead to a series of negative events, without providing sufficient evidence. It assumes that one small action will result in a chain reaction of negative consequences.

Bandwagon Appeal

This fallacy occurs when someone argues that a claim must be valid because a large number of people believe it or are doing it. It relies on the popularity or majority opinion rather than on evidence or rationality.

Pernicious

Having a harmful effect, especially gradually or subtly.

Paradigm

A paradigm is a set of assumptions that creates a viewpoint of the world.

Heterosis

A figure of speech where one form of verb is exchanged for another form.

Truncated

This refers to something that has been shortened or cut off abruptly. In the context of arguments, it could mean leaving out important information or omitting crucial steps in reasoning. 

Thrown

Refers to being caught off guard or taken by surprise: in a discussion or argument.

Straw man

use of evidence that oversimplifies, exaggerates, or misrepresents an opposing point of view; a scarecrow is easier to beat up than a living, breathing person.

False dilemma

the use of evidence in an argument that presents only two extreme options as the only choices available; oversimplifies the disputed issue in favor of the argument being made

Ad hominem

use of evidence that seeks to attack the author of an opposing argument’s character or personality traits rather than the ideas within the argument; not the same as questioning or criticizing an opponent’s credibility, which can be a perfectly reasonable argument to make.

Faulty analogy

the use of evidence that includes a logical  comparison between two things that aren’t actually comparable to draw a conclusion from the otherwise dissimilar things.

Circular reasoning

use of evidence that merely restates the claim; often paraphrases the claim–so it’s not immediately obvious, but if the terms in the claim and evidence statements are just synonyms of each other, then the argument is circular.