Rhetorical Terms

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person instead of the argument.

Ad Populum (Bandwagon Appeal)

Claiming something is true or good just because many people believe it.

Alliteration

Repeating the same starting sound in words.

Allusion

A quick mention of a famous person, event, or work.

Analogy

A comparison to help explain an idea.

Anaphora

Repeating a word or phrase at the start of lines.

Concession

Admitting a point of the other side could be valid.

Counterargument

An opposing view or response to an argument.

Anecdote

A short story to illustrate a point.

Closed Thesis

A main statement that lists supporting points.

Connotation

Emotional or implied meaning of a word beyond its definition.

Ethos

Building trust and credibility with the audience.

Pathos

Appealing to the audience's emotions.

Logos

Using logic, facts, or data to support an argument.

Hyperbole

An exaggeration for emphasis.

Understatement

Making something seem less important than it is.

Juxtaposition

Placing things side by side to highlight differences.

Purpose

The goal the speaker or writer aims to achieve.

Polysyndeton

Using many conjunctions in a sentence.

Refutation

Proving an opposing argument wrong.

Persona

The personality or image a speaker presents.

Bias

Unfair preference for or against something.

Syllogism

Logical reasoning with two statements leading to a conclusion.

Asyndeton

Leaving out conjunctions between words or phrases.

Archaic

Using old-fashioned words.

Deduction

Starting with a general idea and applying it to a specific case.

Equivocation

Using a word with multiple meanings to mislead.

Polemic

An aggressive argument claiming one view is superior.

Qualitative Evidence

Evidence based on reasoning or tradition.

Quantitative Evidence

Evidence that can be measured or counted.

Enthymeme

A syllogism with an implied, unstated premise.

Trope

Creative use of words, like metaphors or similes.

Syntax

Sentence structure and word order.

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent the whole.

Propaganda

Information, especially biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

Satire

The use of irony or sarcasm to criticize a society or individual

Rhetorical question

 A question delivered for a rhetorical purpose/catches the ear of the listener/don’t get an answer

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

 a logical fallacy/ It is incorrect to always claim that something is a cause just because something happened earlier.

Paradox

a statement or situation that is seemingly contradictory on the surface, but delivers an ironic truth. 

Rhetoric

The art of finding ways of persuading an audience