Stylistic Techniques (IB Lang & Lit)

alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sounds, to emphasise draw attention to a phrase

allusion

a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

anaphora

successive sentences or clauses that start with the same word or phrase

antithesis

a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else

hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration for effect

hypophora

when a speaker raises a question and then answers the question

metaphor

comparing two different things by describing one as the other

metonymy

a figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing is referred to by something closely associated with it

ex. "The White House" for the U.S. gov't/president; or "the crown" for a king/queen/monarchy

onomatopoeia

a word that imitates a sound

parallelism

successive clauses or sentences that are similarly structured

personification

giving human characteristics to animals, inanimate objects, or abstractions

repetition

words or phrases are repeated throughout the text for emphasis

rhetorical question

a question raised by an author that is not directly answered; usually "yes" or "no"; used to provoke, emphasise, or argue

simile

a comparison between two different things using "like" or "as"

understatement

a statement that is deliberately weakened to sound ironic or polite

litote

a form of understatement in which the opposite of a word is used instead of the word - e.g. "That's difficult to do." --> "That's not easy to do."

sensationalism

a method of writing or journalism that adds to the excitement of something--perhaps sacrificing accuracy--to attract an audience

cataloging

listing items for rhetorical or poetic effect

euphemism

an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

dysphemism

a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one

ambiguity

the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage; vagueness

innuendo

a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference, typically a suggestive or disparaging one

neologism

a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses

tricolon / tripling

grouping in threes, either through repetition or through structures (either within a sentence or paragraph); can be for emphasis or to add a sense of gathering momentum to a point being made

lexical choice

word choice

semantics

associated meanings of words as a whole

orthodox

adhering to the traditional and established

ideology

a system of social or political ideas

ethos

credibility

logos

logical appeal

pathos

emotional appeal

connotation

all the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests

denotation

the dictionary definition of a word

juxtaposition

placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

asyndeton

omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words

polysyndeton

deliberate use of many conjunctions

enumeration

a numbered list

tone

a writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization

syntax

sentence structures - interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, declarative, simple, complex, etc.

graphology

the visual aspect of text, including layout, font, etc.

colloquialism

informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

mood

the emotional atmosphere of a text

first person point of view

narration from the "I" perspective

second person point of view

the narrator involve the reader using pronouns "you" and "your"

third person point of view

perspective is an unknown narrator who is not part of the story

pathetic fallacy

the attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature; for example angry clouds; a cruel wind.

imperative sentences

commands

satire

a type of writing that ridicules or brings attention to the wrongdoings of individuals, groups, or institutions (often those in power), often through humor or absurdities

irony

a contrast between expectation and reality