AP Language Rhetorical Terms Lists 1-4

allegory

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

allegory

Ex. "Animal Farm" George Orwell

alliteration

As in "she sells sea shells"

allusion

A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

allusion

Ex. "Plan ahead: it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark"

ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them; may explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar.

analogy

Ex. "He that voluntarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces, as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a lighthouse might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks."

anaphora

One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.

anaphora

Ex. "They are masters who instruct us without rod or ferule, without angry words, without clothes or money."

antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

antithesis

Ex: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"

antithesis

Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences.

aphorism

A statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.

apostrophe

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer.

apostrophe

Ex. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour:/England hath need of thee."

asyndeton

Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses.

asyndeton

Ex. On his return he received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame. They spent the day wondering, searching, thinking, understanding.

atmosphere

The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described.

chiasmus

A figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words.

chiasmus

Ex. "The land was ours before we were the land's" - Robert Frost (N, V, Pro: Pro, V, N) "Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure" - Lord Byron

colloquialism

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing

coherence

A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible.

conceit

A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. Displays intellectual cleverness as a result of the unusual comparison being made.

connotation

The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

anecdote

A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event. The term most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person.

sarcasm

From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh;" involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony.

satire

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule and is often humorous, is thought provoking and insightful about the human condition.

symbol

Anything that represents itself and stands for something else

synecdoche

A type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole or the whole for a part

synecdoche

Ex. Farmer Joe has two hundred head of cattle , and three hired hands. If we had some wheels, I'd put on my best threads and ask for Jane's hand in marriage.

syntax

The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.

theme

The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.

thesis

A sentence that expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.

tone

The writer/speaker's attitude toward his the text, the audience, or both.

transition

A word or phrase that links different ideas.

understatement

The ironic minimizing of fact

wit

Intellectually amazing language that surprises and delights

periodic sentence

A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

periodic sentence

For example: "Ecstatic with my AP score, I let out a loud, joyful shout!"

personification

A figure of speech in which the author gives concepts, animals, or inanimate objects human qualities or emotions.

polysyndeton

The deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses.

polysyndeton

Ex: "It's [football] a way of life, really, to those particular people who are a part of it. It's more than a game, and regardless of what level it's played upon, it still demands those attributes of courage and stamina and coordinated efficiency and goes even beyond that for [it] is a means - it provides a mental and physical relaxation to everybody that watches it, like yourself."

prose

One of the major divisions of genre; refers to fiction and non-fiction

rhetorical question

Differs from hypophora in that it is not answered by the writer because its answer is obvious or obviously desired, and usually just a yes or no answer would suffice.

inference

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.

invective

an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attach using strong, abusive language

irony

The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true.

verbal irony

the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning

situational irony

events turn out the opposite of what was expected

dramatic irony

facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction, but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work

juxtaposition

When two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed close together or side by side for comparison or contrast.

litotes

From the Greek word "simple" or "plain." It's a figure of thought in which a point is affirmed by negating its opposite, an understatement where the surface denial serves, through ironic contrast, to reinforce the underlying assertion

litotes

Ex: He's no fool.

loose sentence

a type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by independent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.

metaphor

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.

metonymy

A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name."

metonymy

Ex: A news release that claims, "the White House declared" rather that "the President declared"

narrative

the telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events

onomatopoeia

a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words

onomatopoeia

Exs: his, buzz, hum, crack

oxymoron

From the Greek for "pointedly foolish"; a figure of speech where the author groups apparently contradictory terms

oxymoron

Ex: jumbo shrimp

paradox

a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but is actually true and valid

parallelism

comes from the Greek roots meaning "beside one another"; refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity

parallelism

Ex: "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..."

parody

a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule

pedantic

an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish

denotation

the dictionary definition of a word.

diacope

repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase

diacope

Ex. We will do it, I tell you; we will do it. We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks (Psalm 75:1)

didactic

Greek for "teaching".

enumeration

Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something.

enumeration

Ex. I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips. " "Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate; it's peppermint; it's delicious. . . It's very refreshing!" - Kramer (Seinfeld).

expletive

Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on either side

expletive

Ex. In fact, of course, to be sure, indeed, I suppose, I hope, you know, you see, clearly, in any event, in effect, certainly, remarkably.

euphemism

Greek for "good speech". A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept

euphemism

Ex: "He passed away" instead of "He's dead"

exposition

one of the four chief types of composition with the purpose of explaining something

extended metaphor

a comparison developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout the work

figure of speech

Ex: hyperbole, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, synecdoche, simile

genre

any major category of literature

homily

literally means "sermon," but more informally can include an serious sermon, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice

hyperbole

exaggeration

hypophora

Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions is/are asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker

hypophora

Ex. "When the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

imagery

The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.