AP Lang Final Rhetorical Devices

Exigence

The part of a rhetorical situation that inspires, stimulates, provokes or prompts writers to create a text or speakers to speak:

Trope

An artificial deviation from the ordinary or principal signification of a word 

Metaphor

implied comparison between two things of unlike nature. Often used to create a vivid image

Extended Metaphor

Multiple comparisons that build on one another across several lines, passages, or stanzas 

Allegory

A narrative or visual representation in which the character and/or story elements symbolically represent or “stand for” a different, hidden, idea.   

Allusion 

an indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea that has historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Synecdoche

When a small part of a concept is used to represent a whole. Sometimes, rarely, it could also be using a whole to represent a part.

Simile

a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as to highlight a shared quality.

Personification

The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.

Analogy

A comparison between two things, usually distinct/unlike each other, in order to clarify something further

Metonymy

A word or phrase is substituted for another that it is closely associated with. Often used to represent a larger concept or idea through one of its elements.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole. A rhetorical device that substitutes one word for another to create a more concise expression 

Antanaclasis

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but it means something different each time it appears.

Hyperbaton

An inversion of the normal order of words, especially for the sake of emphasis

Anastrophe

The inversion of the usual order of words or clauses

Parenthesis

Insertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence

Apposition

The placing of two elements side by side, where the second defines, explains, or identifies the first.

Chiasmus

words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order (A-B-B-A)

Zeugma

a single word governs two or more other words in a sentence, with each a different meaning applied.

Anacoluthon

Intentional break in the grammatical flow of a sentence reflecting a sudden change in thought & emotion 

Anadiplosis

repetition of a prominent and usually the last word in one phrase or clause at the beginning of the next

Consonance

Literary device that repeats the same consonant sounds in adjacent or nearby words

Antimetabole

A rhetorical device that involves repeating words or phrases in reverse order to create contrast or highlight a key idea.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Alliteration

A repetition of initial consonant sound in succession 

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words to create internal rhyming within a phrase.

Anaphora

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

Polyptoton

Repetition of a word in a sentence with different cases/forms

Didactic

Used to describe the tone or purpose of a text. Writing or speech intended for teaching or to teach a moral lesson.

Hyperbole

An over exaggerated statement not to be taken literally

Colloquialism

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing

Apostrophe

A speaker directly addresses an imaginary person or an abstract idea

Satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the stupidity of others

Symbolism

The use of objects to represent ideas beyond their literal meaning

Irony

the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite

Litotes

a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary

Antiphrasis

a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is used in a way that is opposite to it literal meaning, often for irony or humor

Rhetorical question

Questions that are asked to make a point, not get an actual answer. 

Oxymoron

a rhetorical device that combines two contradictory or opposite terms to create a single phrase that reveals a deeper or ironic truth.

Antithesis

Opposing ideas in parallel structure

Paradox

A contradictory statement that has underlying truth

Juxtaposition

The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

Kairos

it refers to the timing or context of a work or elements in the work.

Parallelism

A repetition of grammatical structure for emphasis and rhythm 

Asyndeton

deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of words, phrases, or clauses.

Onomatopoeia

A word or phrase that imitates the actual sound of the thing it describes, making writing more vivid and engaging.

Isocolon

A scheme of parallel structure that occurs when the parallel elements are similar not only in grammatical structure but also in length (numbers, words, syllables, etc.)

Anadiplosis

This term refers to the repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word/expression used to replace one that may be considered harsh, unpleasant, or embarrassing.

Dysphemism

A rhetorical device in which a harsh, blunt, or offensive term is used in place of a more neutral or pleasant one, often to shock, criticize, or amuse.

Ellipsis

Deliberate omission of a word or words that are implied by context

Homily

Literally means “sermon”, but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

Expletive

A single word or short phrase that interrupts normal speech to lend emphasis to the surrounding words

Polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions in close succession

Caricature

A verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect or ridicule, a person’s distinctive physical features or other characteristics. 

 In Media Res

Phrase means “In the middle of”. The Act of beginning a narrative without prior exposition

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds:  

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds, but not necessarily at the beginning of each word: 

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds

Cacophony

clashing consonant sounds – sharp, harsh, hissing, unmelodious -- less something we study at the sentence level and more a phrase we would use to characterize noise

Euphony

smooth consonant sounds (oh… yeah...)

Aphorism

A statement which expresses an observation or moral principal about the world, expressing a general truth. 

Enjambment

A poetic technique where a sentence is continued in subsequent lines, stanzas, or couplets without pause

Hypophora

The raising of a question that the writer or speaker immediately answers.

Epigram

A short, memorable statement to express a clever truth or summarize a complex idea

Imagery

the sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions

Parody

A humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature, music, film, or style.

Anachronism

something or someone that appears in a time period where it doesn’t belong

Diction

The writer or speaker’s intentional choice of words.

Fallacy of Equivocation

Using the same term in an argument in different places but the word has different meanings

Ad hominem

Logical fallacy involving an attack on a person’s character rather than their opinions or arguments;

Can also mean an appeal to feelings or prejudices over intellect

False Cause Fallacy

A flawed argument that assumes one event directly causes another simply because they are correlated. This fallacy falsely identifies a causal relationship between two unrelated events, often ignoring other possible causes, oversimplifying complex issues.

Poisoning The Well

a logical fallacy where someone discredits a person or idea before they even have a chance to speak. This then makes any argument they present appear unreliable or bad when it isn’t.

Logos

A rhetorical appeal to logic or reason

Pathos

the use of an appeal to the audience's emotions to persuade them

Ethos

An appeal to audience by establishing the speaker’s credibility.

Pathos

A rhetorical appeal to the audience through triggering emotions (eg. empathy, fear, anger, pride, home, nostalgia, joy, etc.)

Deductive Reasoning

a logical process that starts with a general principle and applies it to a specific case to reach an overall conclusion

Inductive Reasoning

Use of individual examples or events to establish a broader principle or conclusion