rhetorical terms

parallelism/parallel structure

repetition of grammatical structure

repetition

repetition of words verbatim

anaphora

repetition of a word/phrase at the beginning of a sentence/clause

restatement

iteration of the same idea but with different words

elliptical structure

omitting a grammatical feature of a sentence

…

smth omitted in the same sentence

….

smth omitted in more than just a sentence

loose sentence

basic English sentence structure

periodic sentence

inversion of basic English structure

invective

strong negative criticism; specific

expose

general criticism or exposure of a problem in the world

exigence

problem; driving force behind why a writer is compelled to write

metaphor

comparison of 2 UNLIKE things without using “like” or “as”

conceit

extended metaphor

alliteration

repetition of prominent sounds

assonance

repetition of prominent vowel sounds

allusion

reference to something else → the audience would get the allusion

hyperbole

exaggeration

apostrophe

talking to someone who isn’t present → doesn’t apply to audience

paradox

contradiction that is nonetheless true

montage

collage of imagery and other sensory experiences

adage, proverb, axiom, maxim, aphorism, epigram

short statement of truth; motto

logos

• appeals to logic

• using facts, statistics, evidence, and clear reasoning to support an argument

pathos

• appeals to emotion/compassion

• persuades audience through feelings, experiences, and values

ethos

• appeals to author’s credibility → appeals to the audience's sense of morality and values

• zeitgeist (norm/attitude/outlook of a group during a specific time/period)

bathos

• negative; insincere sentimentality (melodramatic)

• builds up to smth important but then switches to smth trivial, which has a disappointing or humorous effect

tone

author/character/narrator’s attitude toward smth

mood

how the audience feels abt smth

transitions

deliberate gaps, transition words

epithet

hyphenated adjective

rhetorical question

thought provoking question not needing an immediate answer

cacophony

series of words that are jarring, rough-sounding

euphony

series of words that are unobstructed; melodious

circumlocution

beating around the bush; talking “around” a subject

litotes

• ironic understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary

• ex: that’s not the worst that we’ve seen.

understatement

ironic statement that expresses smth as less significant than it actually is

overstatement

stating the obvious

Apollonian

• having to do with or appealing to more noble qualities of humanity

• heroism, sacrifice, leadership

Dionysian

• having to do with or appealing to the more base qualities of humanity

• selfishness, pettiness, immaturity

didactic

teaching attitude; often used to give negative criticism

euphemism

replacing a word/phrase with a less offensive or harsh one

exegesis

thorough explication of a text (finding and analyzing word choice, etc.), especially one of a religious nature

malapropism

unintended/intended mispronouncing of a word/phrase, usually for comic effect (puns)

metonymy

substitution of the name of an attribute for that of the thing meant

epistrophe

repetition of a word/phrase at the end of a sentence/clause

symploce

both epistrophe and anaphora