AP Lang rhetorical terms

Alliteration

Repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence

Allusion

Brief reference to a person, event or place or to a work of art

Analogy

A comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things. Uses something simple to explain something unfamiliar or complex.

Ambiguity

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

Anaphora

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines.

Anecdote

A brief story used to illustrate a point or claim

Aphorism

A terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth and moral principle

Argument

A process of reasoned inquiry. A persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and consideration movement from a claim to a conclusion

Audience

The listener, viewer, or reader of a text. most texts are likely to have multiple audiences.

Claim

Assertion or proposition, states the arguments main idea or position. Differs from a topic or subject in that a claim has to be arguable.

Colloquialism

Words or phrases that have a conversational feel and are not generally used in formal written English

Connotation

Meanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition or denotation.

Context

Circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text

Denotation

Strict, literal dictionary definition of a word devoid of any emotion attitude or color

Diction

A speaker’s choice of words. Analysis of this looks at these choices and what they add to the speakers’ message.

Emphasis

Allows the writer to place importance on a particular idea. By positioning an idea in a certain place structurally, by proportioning a greater amount of words, by isolating a key word or phrase, or by repeating the wording, the writer creates_

Ethos

Greek for character. Speakers appeal to this to demonstrate credibility and trust.

Euphemism

Greek for good speech. More agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts.

Figurative Langauge

nonliteral langauge, referred to as tropes or metaphorical langauge evoking imagery.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or to produce a comic or ironic effect

Imagery

Description of how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds.

Irony

fugre of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else.

jargon

specialized terminology used by a particular group of people. often obscure and pretentious.

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences.

Logos

greek for emobided thought. speakers appeal to this or reason by offering clear, ratiuonal ideas and using specific details examples facts, stats or expert testimony.

metaphor

Figure of speech that compares two things without using like or as

mood

the feeling or atmosphere created by a text

narration

In classical oration, the factual and background information, establishing why a subject or problem needs addressing; it precedes the confirmation, or laying out of evidence to support claims made in the argument.

Oxymoron

a paradox made up of two seemingly contradictory words

Paradox

Statement or situation that is seemingly contradictory on the surface but delivers an ironic truth

Parallelism

Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

Pathos

greek for suffering or experience. speakers appeal to this to emotionally motivate their audience.

Persona

Greek for mask. the face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience

Personification

Attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea

Purpose

The goal the speaker wants to achieve

Rhetoric

Art of finding ways of persuading an audience

Rhetorical Appeals

Techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling.

Rhetorical Question

Figure of speech in the form of a question posed for rhetorical effectr rather than for the purpose of getting an answer.

Satire

The use of irony or sarcasm to critique society or an individual

Simile

A figure of speech used to explain or clarify an idea by comparing it explicitly to something else, using the words like as, or as though

Style

A writers specific way of saying things

Syntax

The arrangement of words into phrases, clauses and sentences. Includes word order, length and strucutre of sentences and schemes

Theme

writers though on a topic

Tone

A speaker’s attitude toward the subject conveyed by the speaker’s stylistic and rhetorical choices.

Understatement

A figure of speech in which something is presented as less important, dire, urgent, good and so on, than it actually is, often for satiric or comical effect

Vernacular

The speech patterns of a particular group of people or region

Voice

The unique flavor of a piece based upon the author