AP Language Unit 1 Study Guide

Audience

The person who consumes a text, presentation, or any other form of media

Concession

A notice that a counterargument could be reasonable or even true

Connotation

Emotional meanings of a word that go beyond a dictionary definition

Context

Extra information (such as location and time period) which involves the text

Counterargument

An argument that is opposite to what the author is arguing

Ethos

A rhetorical appeal to character or ethics which involves credibility

Logos

A rhetorical appeal to logic involving statistics, facts, expert testimony, and more

Occasion

When and where something (a speech, a text, a piece) is formed, created, or heard

Pathos

A rhetorical appeal to emotion, which depends on the audiences values and beliefs

Persona

How a character appears to an audience

Polemic

A type of argument which features an aggressive style of debate and a belief that one argument is superior while the rest are incorrect

Propaganda

Ideas and beliefs that are spread in order to further a cause

Purpose

What the speaker or author hopes to achieve with their work

Refutation

When one denies that an argument is sound and valid

Rhetoric

Attempts to persuade the audience towards one’s purpose

Rhetorical Appeals

Methods that are used to persuade an audience towards one’s purpose. Three major rhetorical appeals include ethos, pathos, and logos

Rhetorical Triangle (Aristotelian Triangle)

A triangular diagram which explains the connection between speaker, audience, and subject

SOAPS (Subject, Occasion, Audence, Purpose, and Speaker)

A way to remember elements which make up a rhetorical situation. These include subject, occasion, audience, purpose, and speaker

Speaker

One who creates a work (text, speech, etc.)

Subject

A person, belief, topic, and more which a text is focused on

Text

Any work that can be consumed, comprehended, and investigated

Allusion

A brief reference to a person, place, event, or passage in a work of literature or the Bible assumed to be well-known and recognized

Analogy

Comparing two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea by showing how the idea is similar to some familiar one

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

Anecdote

A short, entertaining account of some happening, frequently personal or biographical

Appeal to Authority

Citation of information from people recognized for their special knowledge or a subject for the purpose of strengthening a speaker’s or writer’s argument

Appeal to Emotion

Arguing based on one’s emotions or sentiments

Appeal to Ethics

Arguing based on one’s morals or sentiments

Appeal to Logic

Arguing based on reasoning and common sense

Appeal to Fear (emotional appeal)

Uses information likely to frighten the audience for the purpose of strengthening a speaker’s or writer’s argument

Appeal to Patriotism (emotional appeal)

Appeals to the audience’s love of country, persuading them to act by implying they are treasonous if they choose not to

Correction to Erroneous Views

Pointing out where another’s observations need modifications or corrections

Extended Metaphor

A lengthened metaphor which makes a series of parallel comparisons

Hypothetical Situation

A made up story used to make a point

Juxtaposition (opposites)

Two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrast

Loaded Words

Use of emotional words likely to engage strong emotions in the audience

Parallelism (parallel structure)

Repetition of syntactic structure in a sentence

Paradox

A seemingly contradictory statement that may be nonetheless true

Repetition

Repeating words or phrases for emphasis when speaking or writing

Rhetorical Question

Asking a question of an audience where the answer is assumed to make a point

Tricolon (rule of three)

A rhetorical term for a series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses