Latin Roots and Rhetorical Strategies for Analyzing Texts

am, amat

love

frater, fratr

brother

ann, enn

year

Greg

flock

Aqu

water

Litera

letter

aud, audit

hear

Loc

place

Capit

head

loqu, locut

talk

cent

hundred

Mal

bad

cred, credit

believe, trust

man, manu

hand

dic, dict

say

mater, matr, metr

mother

duc, duct

lead

mit, miss

send

fid

faith, trust

mor, mort

death

Rhetorical situation

The full set of circumstances that influence how a text is created and received.

Context

The historical, cultural, and social background surrounding the text.

Exigence

The urgent issue or need that prompts the writer to respond.

Occasion

The specific event or moment that triggers the creation of the text.

Purpose

The writer's goal — what they want the audience to think, feel, or do.

Audience

The people the text is intended for — including primary and secondary listeners or readers.

Writer

The person or group creating the text, including their role or persona.

Message

The main idea or viewpoint the writer wants to communicate.

Subject

The topic the text is about — what's being discussed or described.

Persona

The character or role the writer adopts when presenting the text.

Rhetorical Triangle

A model that illustrates the relationship between the writer, audience, and message.

Ethos

Appeal to credibility — showing expertise, trustworthiness, or shared values.

Logos

Appeal to logic — using facts, reasoning, and evidence to support a claim.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion — evoking feelings to persuade or connect with the audience.

Argument

A persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and considered movement from a claim to a conclusion.

Claim

Also called an assertion or proposition, a claim states the argument's main idea or position.

Claim of fact

A claim of fact asserts that something is true or not true.

Claim of policy

A claim of policy proposes a change.

Claim of value

A claim of value argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong.

Evidence

Support for a claim or argument.

personal experience

Evidence drawn from the writer's own experience.

personal observations

Evidence the writer has seen but not necessarily experienced.

Testimony

An expression of how the writer — or someone the writer is citing — feels about a personal experience or personal observation.

Anecdotes

Evidence drawn from stories about other people that the writer has either observed, been told about, or researched.

Analogies

Evidence that makes comparisons between two unrelated things as a way to clarify one of them.

current events

Evidence drawn from what is happening locally, nationally, and globally. Current events can be interpreted in many ways and may contain bias.

historical information

Verifiable facts that a writer knows from research. This kind of evidence can provide background and context for current issues as well as help establish ethos.

expert opinion

Evidence based on the knowledge of experts whose jobs and/or experiences give them specialized, credible knowledge.

quantitative evidence

Includes things that can be measured, cited, counted, or otherwise represented in numbers — for instance, statistics, surveys, polls, experiment results, and census information.

lines of reasoning

The connections between the claims in the writer's argument and the evidence presented to support them.

Thesis

The connections between the claims in the writer's argument and the evidence presented to support them.

Induction

A logical process of reasoning from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called a generalization.

Deductive reasoning

A logical process that starts with a general principle or rule and applies it to specific cases to reach a certain conclusion. If the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true.

classical oration (classical argument)

Five

Crazed Rhetoric

Speech or writing that is wild, irrational, or emotionally uncontrolled. It often uses exaggerated or extreme language meant to provoke strong emotions rather than appeal to reason.

verbal irony

When someone says the opposite of what they actually mean, often for humor or sarcasm.
Example: Saying "Great weather we're having" during a thunderstorm.

Situational Irony

When the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expected.
Example: A fire station burns down.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something that the characters do not.
Example: In a horror movie, the audience knows the killer is in the house, but the character doesn't.

introduction (exordium)

Introduces the reader to the subject under discussion, typically announcing the subject and purpose, and appeals to ethos to establish credibility.

narration (naratio)

Also known as exposition today, this provides factual information and background material on the subject at hand or establishes why the subject is a problem that needs addressing.

confirmation (confirmatio)

Usually the major part of the text, the confirmation develops the proof through evidence to support the writer's claims.

refutation (refutatio)

A denial of the validity of an opposing argument, often following a concession that acknowledges that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.

conclusion (peroratio)

Brings the essay to a satisfying close.

rogerian arguments

Based on the assumption that fully understanding an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating.

toulmn model

Developed by psychiatrist Carl Rogers, Rogerian arguments are based on the assumption that fully understanding an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating.

backing

Further assurances or data without which the assumption lacks authority.

qualifier

Uses words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to temper the claim, making it less absolute.

rebuttal

Gives voice to possible objections.

reservation

Explains the terms and conditions necessitated by the qualifier.

warrant

The underlying justification that connects the evidence to the claim.

Transitions

Words that signify a change in thought while keeping writing cohesive. Common transition words include therefore, because of this, and for instance.

Trope

Artful diction; from the Greek word for 'turning,' a figure of speech such as metaphor, simile, hyperbole, metonymy, or synecdoche.

Narration

A method of development that tells a story or recounts a series of real

Cause and Effect

A method of development that relies on an analysis of the causes that lead to a certain effect or, conversely, the effects that result from a cause.

Comparison and Contrast

Juxtaposing two things to highlight their similarities and differences. It is useful in explaining distinctions that differentiate between two seemingly similar concepts or ideas.

Definition

A method of development that conveys details about a concept, an event, or an object to advance an argument.

Description

A method of development that evokes the senses by painting a picture of how something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels.

Counterargument

An opposing viewpoint that challenges the writer's position.

Thesis Statement

A sentence that clearly expresses the main idea or claim of a text.

Absolute Statements

Claims that express something as completely true or false,. They use words like always, never, everyone, or no one.

Closed Thesis

A thesis that previews specific points the writer will discuss.

Open Thesis

A thesis that states the main idea without listing all supporting points.

Counterargument Thesis

A thesis that includes a counterargument and refutes it within the claim.

Topic Sentences

Sentences that introduce the main idea of each paragraph.

Line of Reasoning

The logical path a writer follows to support their argument.

Commentary

Analysis or explanation that connects evidence to the argument.

Diction

The writer's choice of words and their effect.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and sentence structure.

Coherence

The clarity and logical flow of ideas in a text.

Rhetoric

The art of using available means of persuasion to achieve a purpose.

Style

The sum of a writer's choices (diction, syntax, and conventions) that create effect and meaning.

Tone

The writer's attitude toward the subject and/or audience.

Denotation

A word's literal, dictionary meaning.

Connotation

The associations or feelings a word carries beyond its literal meaning.

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses to create vivid impressions.

Figurative Language

Nonliteral language (e.g., metaphor, simile, personification) used to convey ideas and effects.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect rather than to receive an answer.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Understatement

Deliberately presenting something as less important or serious than it is.

Scheme

An artful arrangement of words or syntax.