APCOMP rhetorical devices

alliteration

where sounds are repeated closely together, there are different types of alliteration(initial,internal,assonance, consonance).

alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

sounds are repeated closely together, there are different types of alliteration(initial,internal,assonance, consonance).

Alliteration can emphasize words or phases making them more memorable, add a musical quality to text, and create tone. Authors might also use alliteration to make their text more engaging, unify ideas, and make a rhythm/pattern to the a piece of text

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event

indirect referencing to a commonly known noun to bring it to the audience's mind without being directly mentioned.

Allusion helps the reader understand meaning by connecting it to an example a reader already knows

The reader feels they found the meaning themselves which makes the example more compelling

It can add credibility by connecting topic to well established noun

Anadiplosis

repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause,

This greatly emphasizes the phrase or word repeated and can show the logical sequence of ideas.

Analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

omparison between two otherwise unlike things based on a third element they're considered to share, to demonstrate their similarity or relationship. It's a comparison often made to simplify a concept or principle, moreover, the author may use analogies to make evaluations that may be familiar or not.

promote a more discerning image for the reader, and to better illustrate a deeper meaning.

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

emphasize a meaning/phrase by using repetition so the words stick in the reader's mind

antimetabole

repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order

An antimetabole is when you invert/reverse the words used in the first part of a sentence in the second part of that sentence.

Purpose- To create emphasis on a phrase or question, instilling that phrase or question in the reader's mind. It causes that phrase to stand out to the reader.

antithesis

use of contrasting ideas in parallel sentence structures, often in a rhetorical situation

Authors use polar opposites to emphasize the importance or meaning of either or both words. In argumentative writing, putting two different ideas into similar sentence structure can make it obvious to the reader which is the right option.

colloquial/colloquialism

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing

Authors would use this to give authenticity and personality to their characters. It makes fiction feel realistic.

Recreate casual communication through dialogue

establish/support the setting and characters backstory

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

dennotative

dictionary definition. Literal translation of something

clearly convey their literal meaning of an intended message.

didactic

eaching of moral or ethical principles; having a moral/main theme to a story; to make a observation in the real world comparable to that in a book/teaching. To teach someone how to do something using literature.

inform the reader of a perspective they may not have considered, or an outlook of life they had previously not seen. Any kind of writing that shows the reader how to do something is considered didactic writing.

epistrophe

the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

An author might use an epistrophe to highlight key ideas

Creates a specific kind of rhythm in their lines,

euphemism

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

The replacement of a phrase or term with a version that is less offensive or kinder.

elps to neutralize words or phrases that come off improper, insensitive, or harsh, allowing people to have comfort in topics that make them uneasy

figurative language

Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

Here are the 11: Simile(comparison using words like "like, as"), Metaphor(direct comparison, doesn't use words "like, as"), Personification(giving human characteristics), Onomatopoeia(descriptive words that sound like noise its describing), Oxymoron(description using two ideas to create an effective description), Hyperbole(an over exaggeration to emphasize an emotion or description), Litotes(use understatement to make a point, is in a sarcastic in tone, saying the opposite), Idiom(commonly used expression that has a different meaning than its literal meaning), Alliteration(repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of one or more words near one another), Allusion( reference to a well-known person, place, thing or event of historical or cultural) , Synecdoche(ses a part of something to refer to its whole)

help the reader create imagery in their head and to make the text more engaging.

Homily

(n.) a sermon stressing moral principles; a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse

A homily goes deeper into a scripture and explains and comments as a form of analysis and is often connected with personal anecdotes and comparisons. It may also highlight a specific portion to emphasize a specific point.

hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration

Authors and speakers often use hyperboles to emphasize a point or for comedic effect, but they can also be used seriously or with harmful intent. They are especially common in narrative writing, where they add imagery to a setting, character, or action.

irony/ironic

the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant

There are multiple types of irony depending on the situation: verbal irony is written/spoken, where the words from the author are the opposite of the meaning, situational irony is where something happens opposite of expected, and dramatic irony is often in theater, where the characters onstage are blind to facts but the audience knows the facts.

for humor or to build suspense.

juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

loose sentence

A complex sentence in which the main clause comes first and the subordinate clause follows

I could tell my mother was upset from her tapping foot and her stern expression.

You lay beside me sleeping on a plane, in the future.

I saw you from the bottom of the stairs, before you knew I was coming.

Very natural for english speakers

Can be used to emphasize a main point

Helps establish casual style

Also referred to as Cumulative Sentences.

metonymy

the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant

Using the word "Breeze" to represent something that is easy, straightforward, or simple instead of describing a literal breeze in a weather type context.

Writers use metonymy to add symbolism, meaning, and connections to different concepts and ideas.

motif

(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

All of these things help engage the reader on a deeper, more intuitive level and also emphasize a certain message/theme to the reader.

oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

"sweet sorrow", "deafening silence"

make word combinations which provoke thought and deep thinking as well as add dramatic effect / specific tone and add irony.

paradox

a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true

statement or idea that seemingly contradicts itself. The 2 general types of paradoxes are logical paradoxes and literary paradoxes. A logical paradox is one that is so self contradictory that it is neither true nor false. A literary paradox is a paradox that at first seems nonsensical but after further investigation, appears to be logical

used to convey simple messages in a more intriguing way, giving the reader insight on the main purpose of the passage. It is used to invoke thought into the reader and force them to process a primarily confusing passage to make sense of it.

parallelism

Phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other

Authors might use parallelism in their writing to create a steady rhythm, emphasize an idea, issue a call to action, describe a process step by step, or build anticipation/excitement

parody

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

Pedantic

Excessively concerned with book learning and formal rules

Pedantic writing is overly showy, even to the point of being ostentatious. Used to establish credibility, but also to give voice to a character or add irony by utilizing overly sophistic language beyond a serious meaning.

periodic sentence

resents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.

A sentence in which the subject and verb are put at the end of the clause.

Ex: "To believe your own thought, to believe that is what is true for you is true for all men, that is genius"(Ralph Waldo Emerson).

build suspension or emphasis in a sentence.

To build up evidence to the point

sarcasm

harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule

satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

syntax

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

tone

A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.

understatement

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.

Many authors will use understatement in order to boost the importance of a specific person/ event, as the understatement provides a sense of irony that the reader can identify.

wit

mental sharpness and inventiveness; keen intelligence.

he use of specific language by an author to create/elevate a tone of amusement/humor within a text.

An author would utilize wit as a mechanism to amuse their audience and or elevate the humorous tone of their text.

zeugma

use of two different words in a grammatically similar way that produces different, often incongruous, meanings