ap lang rhetorical terms - Google Docs

Ethos

An appeal to the credibility or character of the author or speaker.

Pathos

An appeal to the emotions of the audience, such as fear, pity, or vanity.

Logos

An appeal to logic, evidence, and reason to support an argument.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses.

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in a balanced or parallel structure.

Chiasmus

A figure of speech where grammatical constructions or words are repeated in reverse order.

Parallelism

The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same or similar in construction.

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but contains a deeper truth.

Oxymoron

A rhetorical figure in which contradictory terms are used together.

Hyperbole

A deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for emphasis or comic effect.

Understatement

A figure of speech used to make a situation seem less important or serious than it really is.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words.

Allusion

A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work outside the text.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using the words like or as.

Simile

A comparison between two different things using the words like or as.

Personification

The attribution of human traits and characteristics to inanimate objects or abstract ideas.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked merely for effect rather than to elicit an actual answer.

Polysyndeton

The deliberate use of multiple conjunctions in close succession for stylistic effect.

Asyndeton

A stylistic device used to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between phrases or clauses.

Juxtaposition

The act of placing two distinct things side-by-side to highlight their differences.

Irony

A contrast between what is said and what is meant, or between expectation and reality.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, or ridicule to expose and criticize societal vices and folly.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect expression used to replace a word that may be offensive or blunt.

Diction

The specific choice and use of words and phrases to establish style or tone.