Rhetorical Devices 31-45

Cumulative or Loose Sentence

A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses. I write this at a wide desk in a pine shed as I always do these recent years, in this life I pray will last, while the summer sun closes the sky to Orion and to all the other winter stars over my roof."

Declaritive Sentence

a sentence that makes a statement or declaration The sky is blue.

Dialect

a variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region.

Diction

author's word choice. Includes connotation/denotation and levels of formality

Distinctio

a figure of explication in which an introductory reference to a word's meaning is made (e.g., "by x I mean," "which is to say that," "that is") followed by a further elaboration of that word's meaning, explicit definition of, or elaboration upon the meaning or meanings of a particular word or set of words. E.g.: To make methanol for twenty-five cents a gallon is impossible; by "impossible" I mean currently beyond our technological capabilities.

Double Entendre

the double (or multiple) meanings of a group of words that the speaker or writer has purposely left ambiguous; one meaning is usually risqué. If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?

Epigram

a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying

Epigraph

-a saying or statement on the title page of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of work

Epithet

a term used to point out a characteristic in a person. Homeric epithets are often compound adjectives ("swift-footed Achilles") that become an almost formulaic part of a name. Epithets can be abusive or offensive but are not so by definition. For example, athletes may be proud of their given epithets ("The Rock" or "The Fridge" from the 1985 Chicago Bears team). Another example might be "Richard the Lion-Hearted."

Epistrophe

the opposite of anaphora, repetition at the end of successive clauses. They saw no evil, they spoke no evil, and they heard no evil. *see anaphora and symploce

Eponym

in rhetoric, similar to an allusion, referring to a specific famous person to link his or her attributes with someone else. Is he smart? Why, the man is an Einstein. (or) With a bow and arrow, Kathy is a real Diana. [Diana was goddess of the moon, of the hunt, and of chastity.]

Ethos

the appeal of a text to the credibility and character of the speaker, writer, or narrative.

Euphemism

an indirect expression of unpleasant information in such a way as to lessen its impact. Passed away instead of died.

Expletive

an interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes, a profanity

Extended analogy/metaphor

an extended passage arguing that if two things are similar in one or two ways, they are probably similar in other ways as well. An extended example is carried through several sentences or paragraphs.