AP Lang: Rhetorical Terms

studied byStudied by 13 people
5.0(1)
Get a hint
Hint

Rhetorical Situation

1 / 73

flashcard set

Earn XP

Description and Tags

Includes: general elements, diction, syntax, figurative elements, types of claims & evidence, types of theses, and logical fallacies

74 Terms

1

Rhetorical Situation

Includes speaker, purpose, audience, context, and exigence.

New cards
2

Speaker

The individual or group delivering the message in a rhetorical situation.

New cards
3

Purpose

The reason why the speaker is communicating; what they hope to achieve.

New cards
4

Audience

The group of people the speaker is addressing or trying to persuade.

New cards
5

Context

The circumstances or setting surrounding the communication.

New cards
6

Exigence

An issue or problem that prompts the speaker to communicate.

New cards
7

Concession

an acknowledgement that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable, usually accompanied by a refutation

New cards
8

Refutation

denial of the validity of an opposing argument in part or in whole, usually accompanied by a concession in order to sound more reasonable.

New cards
9

Qualify (a claim)

To make a claim about qualities, or what something is, or is caused by, about what something affects,  or about the nature or properties of a thing to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. To make a “qualifying claim” is to provide insights into a problem or help to develop ideas or hypotheses or to provide the conditions under which a claim is true.

New cards
10

Aristotelian Triangle

a diagram that illustrates the relationships between speaker, subject, and audience in a rhetorical situation

New cards
11

Ethos

Greek for “character”, established of speakers in what they say and who they are; appeals to audience’s trust in the character, authority, or expertise of speaker

New cards
12

Logos

Greek for “embodied thought”, appeals to reason and logic by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony as backing for claims; usually primary mode to elicit audience agreement

New cards
13

Pathos

Greek for “suffering” or “experience”, appeals to specific emotions like fear, patriotism, prejudices, anger, or hope; usually primary mode to elicit audience action

New cards
14

Diction

The choice of words used in writing or speaking.

New cards
15

Archaic Language

using language that is antiquated (old-fashioned)

Beliefs for which our forebears fought

New cards
16

Alliteration

repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence.

Let us go forth to lead the land we love...

New cards
17

Colloquialism

using language that reflects the way people actually speak (slang)

New cards
18

Connotation

the implied or contextualized meaning that underlies the main meaning of a word

New cards
19

Denotation

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

New cards
20

Jargon

using language that is specific to an occupation or field

New cards
21

Repetition

just as it sounds, in order to emphasize or reiterate

New cards
22

Vernacular

Using language that is specific to a people, place, culture

New cards
23

Cumulative Sentence

sentence where main clause is at the beginning and then more is added on 

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course -- both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind’s final war.

New cards
24

Hortative Sentence

sentence that exhorts, urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

New cards
25

Imperative Sentence

sentence that commands or demands

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

New cards
26

Periodic Sentence

sentence where main clause is withheld until the end

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in a new age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support...

New cards
27

Anaphora

repetition of words/phrases at beginning of successive phrases, clauses, lines

...not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need -- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are...

New cards
28

Antimetabole/Chiasmus

repetition of words in reverse order

[A]sk not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country.

New cards
29

Antithesis

opposition or contrast of ideas/words in a parallel construction

[W]e shall...support any friend, oppose any foe...

New cards
30

Asyndeton

omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, words (speeds up)

He eats, drinks, sleeps.

New cards
31

Inversion

inverted word order in a sentence (variation on subject-verb order)

Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.

New cards
32

Juxtaposition

placements of two things closely together to emphasize differences 

[W]e are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth… that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans --- born in this century...

New cards
33

Parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, clauses

Let both sides explore...Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals...Let both sides seek to invoke...Let both sides unite to heed...

New cards
34

Syndeton

addition of multiple conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, words (slows down)

He eats and drinks and sleeps.

New cards
35

Allusion

reference to another source (e.g. Bible, mythology, poem, work of art) 

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah...

New cards
36

Assonance

repeating vowel sounds

New cards
37

Consonance

repetition of identical or similar consonants in neighboring words

New cards
38

Epithet

a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name; a disparaging or abusive word or phrase

New cards
39

Euphemism

the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend

New cards
40

Extended Metaphor

a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences

New cards
41

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

New cards
42

Imagery

descriptive language appealing to all five senses (words used to paint a picture)

New cards
43

Metaphor

comparison that replaces one object for another (stronger than simile) 

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion...

New cards
44

Metonymy

the substitution of the name for an attribute of the thing meant  

“suit” for “business executive”

“the track” for “horse racing”

New cards
45

Motif

repeating symbol throughout a text

New cards
46

Oxymoron

using two contradictory words next to each other

peaceful revolution

New cards
47

Paradox

a statement that seems contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true

New cards
48

Personification

describing an inanimate object as if it were a person

With history the final judge of our deeds

New cards
49

Rhetorical Question

posing a question for effect rather than to get an answer 

Will you join in that historic effort?

New cards
50

Simile

comparison that uses “like” or “as”

New cards
51

Symbol

object used to represent an idea/theme

New cards
52

Synecdoche

using one part to represent a whole

Nice wheels! (wheels = car)
Boston sweeps the series against the Yankees! (Boston = the baseball team)

New cards
53

Tone

author’s attitude toward a subject and/or character

New cards
54

Zeugma

using two different meanings of the same word within a sentence/line

When we bear arms, we bear a burden of responsibility (bear used literally and  figuratively)

New cards
55

Claims of Fact

asserts that something is true or not; is arguable on basis of fact

The number of suicides and homicides committed by teenagers, most often young men, has exploded in the last three decades. -Anna Quindlen

New cards
56

Claims of Value

asserts something is good or bad, right or wrong, or is a cause or effect; draws conclusions from claims of facts.

There’s a plague on all our houses, and since it doesn’t announce itself with lumps or spots or protest marches, it has gone unremarked in the quiet suburbs and busy cities where it has been laying waste. -Anna Quindlen

New cards
57

Claims of Policy

suggests a course of action as a result of the claims of fact and value

Yet one solution continues to elude us, and that is ending the ignorance about mental health, and moving it from the margins of care and into the mainstream where it belongs. -Anna Quindlen

New cards
58

First-hand Evidence

based on something the writer knows from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge of events.

New cards
59

Second-hand Evidence

accessed through research, reading, investigation, interviews, polls. . Includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative data.

New cards
60

Open Thesis

does not list all the points the writer intends to include, is usually inductive in its claim, and suggests a more abstract or universal claim of value

New cards
61

Closed Thesis

makes a more specific, limited claim of value, includes a list of the main points to follow

New cards
62

Counter-argument

usually starts with summary of primary counterargument, is preceded by “but” or “although”, and is usually followed by the writer’s primary claim

New cards
63

Ad Hominem

(“against the man”) attacking character of speaker instead of addressing topic, fallacy of relevance

A park in the community should not be renovated because the person supporting it was arrested during a domestic dispute.

New cards
64

Appeal to False Authority

using someone as “expert” who is not actually an expert, fallacy of relevance

Ron Burgundy, a fictional character from the movie Anchorman, advertises for Dodge Durango.

New cards
65

Faulty Analogy

drawing a comparison between two things that is logically irrelevant, fallacy of relevance

Since we put animals who are in irreversible pain out of their misery, we should do the same for people.

New cards
66

Red Herrings

introducing new and unrelated topic before addressing argument topic, fallacy of relevance

New cards
67

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (faulty causality)

(“after this, therefore because of this”) assuming that because one event or action follows another, the first causes the second, fallacy of accuracy

We elected Johnson as president and look where it got us: hurricanes, floods, stock market crashes.

New cards
68

Slippery Slope

scare tactic that claims one action will lead to another, more extreme action, fallacy of accuracy

New cards
69

Straw Man

oversimplifying an example to ridicule or refute opponent, fallacy of accuracy

Politician X proposes that we put astronauts on Mars in the next four years. Politician Y ridicules this proposal by saying that his opponent is looking for “little green men in outer space.”

New cards
70

Bandwagon Appeal

evidence boils down to “everybody’s doing it, so it must be good”, fallacy of insufficiency

You should vote for Rachel Johnson - she has a strong lead in the polls!

New cards
71

Circular Reasoning

presenting the claim as if it is the evidence, fallacy of insufficiency

You can’t give me a C; I’m an A student!

New cards
72

Hasty Generalization

using a single anecdote or example to make major/larger point, fallacy of insufficiency

Smoking isn’t bad for you; my great aunt smoked a pack a day and lived to be 90.

New cards
73

Stack the Deck

argument that shows only one side of the story and refuses to even admit the existence of counterargument, fallacy of insufficiency

New cards
74

either/or (false dilemma)

presenting two extreme options as the only possibilities, fallacy of accuracy

Either we agree to higher taxes, or our grandchildren will be mired in debt.

New cards

Explore top notes

note Note
studied byStudied by 3 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 30 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 1 person
... ago
4.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 3 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 13 people
... ago
5.0(2)
note Note
studied byStudied by 4 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 87 people
... ago
5.0(4)
note Note
studied byStudied by 4950 people
... ago
4.4(20)

Explore top flashcards

flashcards Flashcard (28)
studied byStudied by 4 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (21)
studied byStudied by 16 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (25)
studied byStudied by 2 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (20)
studied byStudied by 24 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (20)
studied byStudied by 64 people
... ago
4.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (105)
studied byStudied by 5 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (37)
studied byStudied by 3 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (25)
studied byStudied by 130 people
... ago
4.0(1)
robot