Schemes and Tropes

Parallelism

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

Isocolon

When parallel elements are similar not only in structure, but also in length (syllables/words)

Climax

When words/phrases/clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting words/ideas close together or side by side for effect

Paradox

Statement that seems contradictory on the surface, but which actually contains an underlying truth

oxymoron

Two opposite words used together to form a witty, paradoxical statement

Listing

A series (3 or more) of items in meaningful sequence

Transition/Segue

A statement that improve flow from one paragraph or thought to the next. A good transition reaches backward, telling the reader where you’ve been, as the grounds for maing a subsequent move forward.

Ellipsis

Omission of an easily supplied word

Asyndeton

Omission of conjuctions between words, phrases, or clauses

Apposition (appositive)

A noun or noun phrase that follows another noun immediately or defines or amplifies its meaning

Parenthesis

Insertion of some verbal unit into a sentence complete in itself. Interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word(s) at the beginning of successive clauses or verses

Epistrophe

The repition of a group of words at the end of successive clauses

Anadiplosis

Repition of the last words of one line or clause to begin the next

Epanalepsis

Repetition at the end of a clause or sentence of the word or phrase with which it began

Antimetabole (Chiasmus)

A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the words in reverse grammatical order. Essentially the same as chiasmus)

Alliteration

Repetition of vowel or consonant sounds in a succession of words

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds

Sibilance

The repetition of a hissing sound (like a snake) formed using soft consonants such as: s with Sh, Ch, Th, z, x, f, and softer c

Rhyme

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words accuring at the end phrases

Analogy

A comparison that works on multiple levels; the implication being that if two things share one similar characteristic, its logical to assume that they share other similar characteristics

Simile

Two unlike things compared using like or as

Metaphor

A comparison between two unlike things where one is said to be the other (doesn’t use the words like or as)

Personification

Endowing an animal or inanimate object with human characteristics

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, event, statement or theme found in literature, art, history, myth, the bible, or popular culture (biblical or classical allusiions are 2 types)

Hyperbole

Using overstatement/exaggeration for effect

Litote

Employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, positive statemet is expressed by negating its opposite expresssions.

Meiosis

Intentional understatement used to beittle a person or an event

Portmanteau

A literary device in which two or more words are joined together to coin a new word

Tautalogy

A repetitive use of phrases or words which have similar meanings

Imagery

Use of language or figure of speech to convey a visual picture

Pun

A play on words that capitalizes on a similarity in spelling and/or pronunciation between words with different meanings

Euphemism

Substitution of a less offensive word/phrase for one that may be offesive/unpleasants. (sugarcoating)

Metonymy

A figure of speech inw hich one thing is represented by another that is commonly associated with it

synecdoche

A figure of speech in whihc a part of something is used to represtn the whole, or the whole represents the part

Periphrasis

Circumlocation — to go around the asnwer or explain it

Rhetorical question

A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected, subtly influencing the kind of response one wants to garner from an audience

Apsotrophe

To break off discourse to address some person or personified thing either present or absent as if that thing were able to understand

Aposiopesis

A rhetorical device that can be defined as a figure of speech in which the speaker or writer breaks off abruptly and leaves the statement incomplete due to passion, excitement, or fear

Double entendre

A double entendre is a device that can be defined as a phrase or a figure of speech that might have multople senses, interpretations or two different meanings or that could be understood in 2 different ways

Symbolism

The use of one object or action (symbol) to represent or suggest something also — a deeper meaning

Motif

A recurrent image, symbol, theme, character type, subject, or narrative detail used as an unifying element in a piece or writing

Archetype

Ideal example or model after which other things are patterened. It is what is considereed a typical example of a thing or person

Verbal Irony

Use of a word in such a way as to convey a meaning of the word

Sarcasm

Generally the literal meanings is different that what the speaker intends to say through sarcasm