Ap English Language midterm rhetorical terms

alliteration

the repetition of sounds ( she sells sea shells by the sea shore)

allusion

a direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art

analogy

a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out it’s similarity to something more familiar

anaphora

a sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences

anecdote

a short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effect or to make a point

antithesis

the opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite OR the presentation of two contrasting images (“to be or not to be”, “ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country”)

assonance

the repetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and followed by different constants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words

colloquialism

a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y’all, ain’t)

connotation

the non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied suggested meaning

consonance

repetition of of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity (boost/best, fulfill, ping-pong)

denotation

the strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word

ellipsis

deliberate omission of a word or of words that are readily implied by the context and must be supplied by the reader or listener

epigraph

the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme

ethos

when a writer tries to persuade the audience to respect and believe them

euphemism

a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept

hyperbole

a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement

imagery

the sensory details of figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions

irony/ironic

the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true

juxtaposition

when two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed close together or side by side for comparison or contrast

logos

when a writer tries to persuade the audience based on statistics, facts, and reasons

metaphor

figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting similarity

onomatopoeia

a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words (buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny,and murmur)

oxymoron

a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox

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

parallelism

the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity

parody

a work that ridicules the style of another work by imitating and exaggerating its elements

pathos

when a writer tries to persuade the audience by appealing to their emotions

personification

a figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with attributes or emotions

repetition

word or phrase used two or more times in close proximity

rhetorical question

one that does not expect an explicit answer

satire

a work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform ridicule

simile

a piece of figurative language which uses the “like” or “as” in the comparison

symbol/symbolism

anything that represents itself and stands for something else