AP Language Rhetorical Vocabulary

Rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

Rhetorical appeals

techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. The three major appeals are: ethos, pathos and logos 

Ethos

Greek for “character” Writers and speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate they are credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic. 

Pathos

Greek for “suffering” or “experience” writers and speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally motivate their audience.

Logos

Greek for “embodied thought” writers and speakers appeal to logos to reason by offering clear, rational ideas, details, examples, facts, etc. 

Message

the main idea or position the writer wants to convey to the audience about the subject of a text

Purpose

the goal the writer or speaker of a text wants to achieve

Exigence

Latin for “to drive or demand,” the aspects of the rhetorical situation that prompted the writer or speaker to create the text

Context

the circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding the text

Audience

the listener, viewer, or reader of the text

Occasion

the time and place a speech or piece is written

Tone

a writer or speaker’s attitude toward the subject conveyed by stylistic and rhetorical choices

Claim

an assertion, usually supported by evidence