Rhetoric vocab

Ad hominem (name-calling)

fallacy of pathos, attempting to turn people against something by using unpleasant labels or descriptions

Allusion

a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

Anaphora

the repetition of a word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences

Anecdote

a short account of an incident in someone's life

Antithesis

a concept that is directly opposed to a previously presented idea

aphorism

a pithy, or simple observation that contains a general truth (a saying, an epigram)

apostrophe

a speech or address to a person who is not present; or to a personified object

Chiasmus

figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted order.

Context

the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea and in terms of which it can be fully understood

Contradiction

a broad term for two statements that disagree with one another (a paradox is an example

Didactic

intended to instruct, especially excessively; morally instructive; improving; (of works of art or literature) containing a political or moral message to which aesthetic considerations are subordinated.

Direct Address

a construct in which a speaker is talking directly to a person or group

Emotive Language

using terms to evoke an emotional response

epitaph

words written in memory of a person who has died (similar to elegy)

epizeuxis

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening words

Ethos

the appeal to the credibility and character of the speaker, writer, or narrator (you should listen to this person because they are an expert) *ethos is most often established through other techniques and ethos is the effect

Fallacies

a mistaken belief or a failure in reasoning that makes an argument invalid (15 types to know)

Generalization

a sweeping statement that suggests what is true for some is true for most or all

Hyperbole

intentional exaggeration for effect

Hypophora

a rhetorical question that is then answered

Inclusive language

use of personal pronouns to make the audience feel part of a group

Invective

strong, abusive language.

Juxtaposition

the placement of two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast

Loaded words

words that are emotionally charged, ether +/-

Logos

an appeal based on logic or reason (you should listen because it’s a logical argument; factual) *logos is the effect of statistics, data, logical reasoning, facts, etc.

Modal Verbs

auxiliary verbs that show degree of certainty, possibility, intent, or necessity

Nostalgi

a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time

Parallelism

the repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical patterns

Pathos

an appeal based on emotion (you should listen because it’s the ethical thing to do) *pathos is created through language, syntax, tone, etc., authors set out to create pathos and do so through other techniques

Polyptoton

repetition of a root word in different inflections or different cases for rhetorical effect

Register

the variety and style of language used for a particular purpose

Rhetorical Question

a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.

Tricolon

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

Understatement

a figure of speech in which a speaker says less than what he or she means