Rhetorical Terms (Extended Analogy-Qualifiers)

extended analogy

extended analogy

An extended passage arguing that if two things are similar in one or two ways, they are probably similar in other ways as well

generalization

A point that a speaker or writer generates on the basis of considering a number of particular examples

genre

A piece of writing classified by type—for example, letter, narrative, eulogy, or editorial

hyperbole

An exaggeration, or overstatement, for effect

induction / inductive reasoning

Reasoning that begins by citing a number of specific instances or examples and then shows how collectively they constitute a general principle. Reasoning that moves from a number of particulars to a general conclusion

inductive leap

Because we cannot test every instance (past, present, future), we take the leap from “most” or “some” to “all.” We reach a generalization

inference

A conclusion that a reader or listener reaches by means of his or her own thinking rather than be direct statement in a text

intention

The goal a writer or speaker hopes to achieve with the text—for example, to clarify difficult material, to inform, to convince, or to persuade. Also called aim and purpose

irony

Writing or speaking that implies the contrary of what is actually written or spoken

jargon

The specialized vocabulary of a particular group

Latinate diction

Vocabulary characterized by the choice of elaborate, often complicated words derived from Latin roots

litotes

Understatement—for example, “Her performance ran the gamut of emotion from A to B”

logic

The art of reasoning

logos

The appeal of a text based on the logical structure of its argument or central ideas

mood

The feeling that a text is intended to produce in the audience

occasion

The part of context also referred to as time and place

pathos

The appeal of a text to the emotions or interests of the audience

persona

The character that a writer or speaker conveys to the audience; the plural is personae

persuasion

The changing of people’s minds or actions by language

polysyndeton

Stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession, in order to achieve an artistic effect

premise, major

The first premise in a syllogism. The major premise states an irrefutable generalization

premise, minor

The second premise in a syllogism. The minor premise offers a particular instance of the generalization state in the major premise

pun

A play on words. For example, anataclasis, words that sound alike but have different meanings (“The spoiled turkey meat was fowl most foul”) and syllepsis, a word used differently in relation to two other words it governs or modifies (“Bright lights attract flies and celebrity watchers”)

purpose

The goal a writer or speaker hopes to achieve with the text—for example, to clarify difficult material, to inform, to convince, and/or to persuade. Also called aim and intention

qualifiers

words such as “probably,” “presumably,” and “generally.”