Studied by 5 people
Rhetoric
the art of using language for persuasion
Exigence
issue/problem/situation that prompts/motivates the writer
Ethos
qualities of character, intelligence, and goodwill in an arguer that contribute to an audience’s acceptance of a claim
Logos
argument based on reason
Pathos
argumentative proof based on emotions
Deduction
logical process wherein you reach a conclusion by starting with a general principle or universal truth (major premise) and applying it to a specific case (minor premise)
Syllogism
form of deductive reasoning in which conclusion is supported by a major premise and minor premise
Induction
logical process wherein you reason from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to reach a generalization
Claims of fact
based on facts or data that the audience will accept as objectively verifiable
Claims of value/judgement
express of (dis)approval; attempt to prove that some things are right or wrong
Support
materials used by the arguer to convince an audience that his or her claim is sound
Warrant
beliefs, assumptions, and principles that underlie an argument and connect the support to the claim
Backing
offers support of the validity of the warrant
Rebuttal
addresses counterarguments to the author’s position
Qualifier
shows, in the form of words like “probably” or “more likely”
Allusion
reference to a person, place, event, or literary work for the sake of comparison a writer expects a reader to recognize
Analogy
comparison between two things to show the similarities between them
Aphorism
terse, pointed statement expressing some wise or clever observation about life
Figurative language
language that is not to be interpreted in a literal sense (hyperbole, simile, personification, etc…)
Rhetorical question
questions to which the answers are obvious or unnecessary
Hypophora
a speaker raises a question and then immediately answers it
Diction
writers choice or words, particularity for clarity, effectiveness, and precision
“High” diction
vocabulary for a professional or college-educated audience; used between experts
“Middle” diction
vocabulary suited for well-educated audiences and mass media publications yet not pitched at the level of expert to expert
“Low” diction
Simple vocabulary and abbreviated self centered discourse
Denotation
Literal meaning of the found; dictionary definition
Connotation
Implied or associated meaning of a word, acquired and conveyed through the contexts in which we counter these words and through the emotions they may inspire
Jargon
The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group that allows experts to communicate efficiently
Slang
Informal language used of a given group of locale
Euphemism
An inoffensive or polite term used in place of language that readers or listeners may find unfavorable
Syntax
Grammatical structure of sentences
Parallelism
repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical structures to emphasize ideas, to contract ideas, and to connect ideas.
Anaphora
the deliberate repetition of a word of phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
Epistrophe
the repetition of the same word of phrase at the end of successive phrases
Tricolon
a series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses
Climactic order
the arrangement of details or ideas in order of increasing importance or force: the principle of saving the best for last.
Antithesis
the contrast of thoughts in two phrases, clauses, or sentences
Antimetabole
identical or near identical repetition of words in one phrase or clause in reverse order in the next phrase or clause; ABBA structure
Zeugma
construction in which a word (usually a verb) modifies or governs two or more words in a sentence
Cumulative sentence
begins with standard sentence pattern and adds multiple details after it
Periodic sentence
begins with multiple details and holds off a standard sentence pattern until the end
Inverted sentence
has the verb come before the subject
Polysyndeton
deliberate use of a series of conjunctions
Asyndeton
deliberate omission of conjunctions
