AP Lang Vocab

Concession

When the writer acknowledges the validity of an opposing viewpoint

Paradox

A statement or situation that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth when examined closely.

Euphemism

The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.

Rhetoric

the art of using language effectively and persuasively

Rebuttal

What you do after you acknowledge that someone disagrees with you

Synthesis

The skill of weaving together information from multiple sources to create and support your own original argument

Ambiguous

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Egregious

extraordinary in some bad way

Exigence

to the urgent motivation or circumstance prompting an author to write

Anaphora

repeats the same opening words across consecutive phrases or sentences for emphasis and rhythm

Analogy

an extended comparison between two things that are alike in key ways, used to explain a complex or unfamiliar idea

Connotation

the emotional, cultural, or social association a word carries beyond its dictionary definition

Allusion

a writer's brief, unexplained reference to a well-known person, event, or text (historical, literary, biblical, cultural) that borrows the audience's existing associations with it to deepen meaning and strengthen an argument.

Anecdote

a brief, specific story about a real person or event that a writer uses as evidence to illustrate a claim, humanize an abstract issue, and appeal to the audience's emotions (pathos) in service of the rhetorical purpose.

Antithesis

a rhetorical device that places two opposing ideas in parallel grammatical structure within a sentence or passage, sharpening the contrast for emphasis

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Didactic

the primary

aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles

Pervasive

existing in or spreading through every part of something

Irony

when there is a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is said and what is meant

Deductive Reasoning

a way of thinking that starts with a general idea or principle and moves to a specific conclusion

Colloquial

the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech