AP Language Unit 1

ANASTROPHE

A scheme in which normal word order is changed for emphasis. Example: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

CONFIRMATION BIAS

Tendency of people to favor information that confirms their beliefs or hypotheses.

UNDERSTATEMENT

A form of speech that intentionally downplays the significance/severity of something.

BIAS

Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

CLAIM

An assertion of the truth of something, typically one that is disputed or in doubt.

SYNTAX (AND ALL DIFFERENT FORMS)

The arrangement of words and phrases.

ANECDOTE

A short account (or narrative) of an interesting or amusing incident, often intended to illustrate or support some point.

PARADOX

A self-contradictort statement that highlights two conflicting ideas.

DICTION (AND ALL DIFFERENT FORMS)

Choice and use of words in speech or writing

ARCHAIC DICTION

the use of words that are old-fashioned or no longer commonly used.

HETEROCLITE DICTION

Deviating from ordinary forms or rules; irregular; anomalous; abnormal.

ACADEMIC DICTION

The use of words that are specific to academics and are intelligent

INFORMAL DICTION

The use of words that are less intelligent than formal.

CONNOTATION

The emotional implications and associations that a word may carry, in contrast to its denotative (literal) meanings. An idea that is implied or suggested "The name reservation has a negative connotation among Native Americans--an intern camp of sorts." (John Russell)

ANTITHESIS

Placement of contrasting or opposing words, phrases, clauses, or sentences side by side. Following are examples: "The more acute the experience, the less articulate its expression." (Harold Pinter, "Writing for the Theatre," 1962)

PARALLELISM

Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. (Ex: I came, I saw, I conquered.)

TONE

The attitiude/Mood that a text conveys.

JARGON

Specialized language used by a particular group, profession, or field.

METONYMY

Substitution where a word or phrase is used in place of another word or phrase (such as "crown" for "royalty"). "The pen is mightier than the sword,"

SYNECDOCHE

A figure of speeecg where a part of something is sued to represent the whole, or visa versa.

ANAPHORA

A scheme in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Example: "I will fight for you. I will fight to save Social Security. I will fight to raise the minimum wage.”

ANTECEDENT

The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to. "When giving treats to ~friends~ or ~children~, give them what they like, emphatically not what is good for them."

ANALOGY

A type of composition (or, more commonly, a part of a composition or speech) in which one idea, process, or thing is explained by comparing it to something else.

ASYNDETON/POLYSYNDETON

Omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. "Anyway, like I was saying, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo."

ARRANGEMENT

The parts of a speech or, more broadly, the structure of a text. Arrangement is one of the five traditional canons or subdivisions of classical rhetorical training.

EUPHEMISM

The substitution of an inoffensive term (such as "passed away") for one considered offensively explicit ("died"). Contrast with dysphemism. Adjective: euphemistic.

Ethos

Credibility. We tend to believe people whom we respect.

Pathos

Emotions and feeling in order to persuade the audience/gain pity or sympathy/Tribal

Logos

logic means persuading by the use of reasoning.

COUNTER-ARGUMENT

a contrasting, opposing, or refuting argument.

INDUCTIVE REASONING

A method of reasoning that moves from specific instances to a generalization. Specific to general.

DEDUCTIVE REASONING

A method of reasoning from the general to the specific. In a deductive argument, a conclusion follows necessarily from the stated premises. (Contrast with induction.) In logic, a deductive argument is called a syllogism. In rhetoric, the equivalent of the syllogism is the enthymeme.

JUXTAPOSITION

an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

INVERSION

reversal of the usual or natural order of words; anastrophe.

SUBTEXT

The underlying message or meaning conveyed indirectly through context, tone, or implication rather than explicitly stated.