Glossary of Rhetorical Terms

Rhetoric

the art of persuasion → how we communicate

Rhetorical situations

The context of a text

cases: context (occasion), audience, speaker, exigence (purpose), subject

context

setting, place, time, culture and how these things might affect the big ideas of the narrative + OCASSION

audience

to whom is the author writing?

speaker

detailed info about author and possible biases or personas

exigence

what is the authors reason or urgency for writing? + PURPOSE (why)

subject

what the author is writing about, literal and thematic subjects

Aristotelian triangle

Rhetorical triangle Writer (person or persona) → Audience (to they share beliefs, values, needs, backgrounds) → Subject (message)

Rhetorical appeals

ethos → credibility (title, trustworthiness, depends on audience)

Logos → logic, rationale/evidence (facts, data, definitions, address counterargument)

Pathos → emotions (values, desires, hopes, fears, prejudices, anecdotes)

diction

word choice (denotation v connotation)

denotation

literal defenition

connotation

emotions and ideas associated with word

Formal/informal diction

formal= professional tone, such as business writing or formal essays

informal = conversational or friendly writing style

syntax

how words (independent/dependent clauses) are arranged to form sentences

independent/dependent clauses

all clauses have a subject and a verb

I- stands alone as complete thought or sentence
D - does not express complete thought or stand alone as sentence (has subordinating conjunction/dependent marker)

coordinating conjunction

joins thoughts → FANBOYS

subordinating conjunction

modifies/clarifies thoughts → dependent marker

simple sentence

1 independent clause

compound sentence

1 independent + 1 independent clause joined by coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

complex sentence

1 independent + at least 1 dependent clause w/ subordinating conjunction (after, since, although, because)

compound-complex sentence

2+ independent + at least 1 dependent clause

cumulative sentence

main idea/ independent clause @ beginning

periodic sentence

main idea/ independent clause @ end

parallel structure

repeating word, phrase, or clause for emphasis

antithesis

presenting contrary ideas w/ similar grammatical structure (it was the best of times, it was the worst of times)

Figurative language

using words and phrases to convey a message w/o really saying it (indirectly)

metaphor

calling one thing something else (is)

simile

comparing two things (like, as)

analogy

a comparison between two things, ideas, or concepts typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification

personification

describing something nonhuman as having human characteristics

allusion

call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference

tone

the combination of diction, syntax and figurative language create an overall impression + suggest authors attitude to the subject

irony

juxtaposition/incongruity between expectation and reality

verbal irony

diff between what writers say vs mean

situational irony

diff between what seems fitting vs what happens

dramatic irony

diff between what character or author says or thinks vs what audience knows to be true

hyperbole

big overstatement (ironic)

understatement

playing things down (ironic)