Key Concepts in Rhetoric and Language Use 2025

Diction

A writer's or speaker's choice of words

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Rhetoric

the art of using language effectively and persuasively

audience

the listener, viewer, or reader of a text

Texts

cultural products that can be 'read,' meaning not just consumed and comprehended, but investigated

occasion

the time and place a speech is given or a piece is written

context

The circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text.

purpose

One's intention or objective in a speech or piece of writing.

rhetorical triangle (Aristotelian triangle)

A diagram that illustrates the interrelationship among the speaker, audience, and subject in determining a text.

Speaker

A term used for the author, speaker, or the person whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing

subject

The topic of a text. What the text is about.

Ethos

The appeal of a text to the credibility and character of the speaker, writer, or narrator OR shared values with the audience

Pathos

appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response

concession and refutation

The combination of acknowledging a counterargument and then denying its validity will actually strengthen your argument rather than weaken it.

Counterargument

A challenge to a position; an opposing argument

Connotation

an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

Mood

How the reader feels about the text while reading or listening.

Personification

the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea

Metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Simile

A comparison of two unlike things using like or as

Hyperbole

a purposeful exaggeration for emphasis or humor

Parallelism

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

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

Antithesis

a figure of speech in which an opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed by parallelism of words that are the opposites of, or strongly contrasted with, each other, such as 'hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins'.

imperative sentence

A sentence that requests or commands.

colloquial

Characteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing

declarative sentence

a sentence that makes a statement

exclamatory sentence

a sentence expressing strong feeling, usually punctuated with an exclamation mark

interrogative sentence

A sentence that asks a question

Imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.

Epistrophe

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

Anaphora

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

Metacommentary

A way of commenting on your claims and telling others how -- and how not -- to think about them

pointing words

Words like 'this,' 'these,' or 'those,' which are used to help orient your reader and establish continuity within your writing.

Free Floating Pointer

A pronoun used to refer to a former idea; a pronoun such as 'this' that has no specific antecedent; a vague pronoun reference

code meshing

The act of combining local, vernacular, colloquial, world dialects of English with Standard Written English on formal assignments and in everyday conversation, in an attempt to embrace the globalized and diverse world we live in.

rhetorical question

figure of speech in the form of a question posed for rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer

Strawman Fallacy

Misrepresenting or substituting a person's actual position or argument with a distorted, exaggerated, or misrepresented version of the position of the argument so it is easier to attack.

ad hominem fallacy

a statement that attempts to counter an argument by criticizing the person who made it

slippery slope fallacy

a logical fallacy that assumes once an action begins it will lead, undeterred, to an eventual and inevitable conclusion

Circular Reasoning/Begging the Question

involves repeating the claim as a way to provide evidence, resulting in no evidence at all

Logos

an appeal based on reason

false cause fallacy

assumes that because one event precedes another, it caused the other event

False Dillema Fallacy

claiming that there are only two possible choice to address a problem, that one is wrong and unfeasible so the other must be chosen by default

Narrative (mode)

To describe an experience, event, or sequence of events in the form of a story.

Process (mode)

explaining step by step how something happens or how to do something

Compare and Contrast Mode

-Comparison examines the ways in which two persons, places, or things are similar

-Contrast examines the ways in which they are different

-Helps the reader understand one person, place, or thing in relation to another

-Many times the goal of a comparison is for evaluation

Exemplification (Mode)

providing specific examples and evidence to support claim

Definition (Mode)

A mode of writing in which you tell what something is by stating its general class and characteristics

Argumentative (mode)

A mode of writing that takes a clear position on a debatable question, and backs up claims with evidence and reasoning.

Classification (mode)

A mode of writing that says what category something belongs to

Cause and Effect (mode)

A mode of writing in which the author analyzes why an event happened and/or traces its consequences

Description (mode)

to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that which is being described.

SPACE CAT

Speaker, Purpose, Audience, Context, Exigence, Choices, Appeals, Tone