Rhetoric
the art of using language effectively and persuasively
Analogy
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way ex: life is like a race
Anecdote
A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event. ex: Obama's speech on the first day back to school about his own childhood.
Audience
One's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed, or written for.
Author's purpose
the author's intent either to inform/teach, to entertain, or to persuade/convince the audience
Antithesis
the direct opposite, a sharp contrast
Tone
A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.
Ethos
a persuasion based on credibility of the speaker
Pathos
a persuasion based on emotions
Logos
a persuasion based on logic or reason
Evidence
proof
Metaphor
A comparison of two different subjects without using like or as
Simile
A comparison of two unlike things using like or as
Allusion
A reference to another work of literature, person, or event
Alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sounds
Parallelism
similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses ex: ask not what your country could do for you, but what you can do for your country
Repetition
Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis
Bias
A particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.
Connotation
All the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests
Denotation
literal, dictionary meaning of a word
Diction
the choice and use of words and phrases in writing or speeches
Loaded Language
Words or phrases that attempt to influence the reader through emotion and/or stereotype.
Irony
language/ vocabulary that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
Juxtaposition
placing two elements or words side by side and letting the reader or viewer compare them to show irony, humor or sadness.
Stereotype
a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Figurative Language
use of words or phrases that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning. common types: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, allusion, and idiom.
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language using the senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste) to make it lively.
Paradox
A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
Credibility
the quality of being trusted and believed in
Rhetorical Shift
Refers to a change or movement in a text resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader.
Thesis
a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise/ basis to be maintained or proved.
Writer's style
The unique way an author uses literary and rhetorical devices.
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
Text structure
Organization of a text
Cause and Effect
noting a relationship between actions or events such that one or more are the result of the other or others.
Problem and Solution
A text structure that presents a problem and offers solutions to solve the problem.
Claim and Stance
Your basic belief about a particular topic, issue, event, or idea
Aphorism
a concise statement of a truth or principle ex: if you lie with dogs your going to get fleas
Example of alliteration
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Example of allusion
"I was surprised his nose was not growing like Pinocchio's."
Example of analogy
Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
Example of Antithesis
Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
Example of bias
remembering past attitudes as similar to current attitudes even though the past attitudes have changed
Example of Ethos
He is a forensics and ballistics expert for the federal government - if anyone's qualified to determine the murder weapon, it's him.
Example of Hyperbole
I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
Hypophora
a figure of speech in which a writer raises a question and then immediately provides an answer to that question
Example of Hypophora
How do we know this to be true? We have observed it in the lab.
Example of imagery
"A shaggy brown dog rubbed its back on the white picket fence"
Example of juxtaposition
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness
Example of Logos
The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas.
Example of paradox
You can save money by spending it.
Example of pathos
If we don't move soon, we're all going to die! Can't you see how dangerous it would be to stay?
Example of repetition
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Example of simile
Life is like a box of chocolates
Synechdoche
Uses a part to explain a whole or a whole to explain a part.
Example of synecdoche
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.