1 AP Lang & Comp Rhetorical Vocab Dr. Stamp

alliteration

Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words for emphasis or effect.

anadiplosis

Repetition of the last word of one clause or sentence at the beginning of the next.

anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

antithesis

Placement of two contrasting ideas in parallel structure to highlight their difference.

asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions (such as “and” or “but”) between parts of a sentence for speed or impact.

epistrophe

Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

imperative sentence

A type of sentence that gives a direct command, request, or instruction.

metaphor

A figure of speech that describes something by saying it is something else, highlighting similarity.

oxymoron

A figure of speech combining two contradictory or opposing words for effect.

paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper logical or rhetorical truth.

parallel syntax (parallelism)

Repetition of similar grammatical structures in phrases or clauses to create balance and rhythm.

parentheticals

Words, phrases, or clauses inserted into a sentence as additional, often explanatory, information set off by punctuation (commas, parentheses, or dashes).

polysyndeton

The deliberate use of multiple conjunctions between words or clauses for emphasis.

tricolon

A series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses used for rhetorical effect.

rhetorical situation

The context of a rhetorical text: speaker, audience, purpose, and occasion.

microcosm to macrocosm

A rhetorical move where a small, specific example (microcosm) is used to represent or connect to a larger universal idea (macrocosm).