Lang Satire Terms

Anaphora

the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences

Parallelism

the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms

 Zeugma

 a literary device where one word, often a verb or adjective, governs two or more other words in a sentence, but applies to them in different senses, linking disparate ideas for surprise, humor, or emphasis, like "She broke his car and his heart" (physical vs. emotional breaking)

Antithesis

a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced. Focuses on opposites.

Allusion

a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize

Rhetorical Question

a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer

Chiasmus

a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed (“Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary.”) Focuses on reversal. 

Juxtaposition

 to call attention to extremes

Litotes

 a type of understatement in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite (describing a horrific scene by saying, “It wasn’t a pretty picture.”)

Metaphor

 a direct comparison of two different things

Bathos

insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to invoke pity

Irony

to convey complexity

Polysyndeton

the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural

Satire

the use of humor to emphasize human weakness or imperfections in social institutions

Homily

a sermon or moralistic lecture

Anecdote

a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event

Asyndeton

a construction in which elements are present in a series without conjunctions

Hyperbole    

intentional exaggeration to create an effect

Syntax

the manner in which words are arranged into sentences

Jargon

the specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession

Metonymy

 substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it (“The pen is mightier than the sword.” or “The White House is responsible for their conduct” or “Hollywood is a tough business.”

Didactic

having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing

Paradox

an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth

Euphemism

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

Synecdoche

using one part of an object to represent the entire object (referring to a car as “wheels”)