Rhetorical Terms

rhetorical terms, AP Language & Composition - Beland

asyndeton

asyndeton

Leaving out a conjunction between a list for effect.

conduplicatio

Taking an important word in a statement from anywhere in the statement and repeats again.

understatement

Intentionally giving a lesser description.

hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration.

antithesis

Contrasting any parts of a statement.

hypophora

Asking a question and then answering it.

rhetorical question

Asking a question and the answer is implied.

procatalepsis

Stating something and then objecting to the statement as if the speaker anticipates the audience's concerns.

allusion

A reference to a well-known event, place, or person.

eponym

Referring to a specific famous person to compare his or her attributes to someone else.

exemplum

Providing the reader an example to prove your point.

anadiplosis

Taking the last word of a sentence or phrase and repeating it next to the beginning of the next sentence or phrase.

aphorism

A short statement that gives an observation about life.

idiom

A statement that makes no literal sense but has a meaning you understand.

paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictive but later reveals a truth.

anecdote

A brief story meant to prove a point.

personification

Giving things human characteristics.

aphoria

A device that a writer uses to express doubt about an idea; it also can be used to show the many sides of an argument.

amplification

Writers repeating something they just said while adding more detail.

parataxis

A series of clauses without correct punctuation.

synecdoche

Using a part of something instead of referring to the whole.

metonymy

Referring to something closely related to the actual object, person, or thing.

hyperbaton

Arranging words in a sentence in an unexpected order (word inversion).

Romanticism

An artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1840. The movement valued feeling over reason.

Transcendentalism

A 19th-century idealistic philosophical and social movement that taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity.

zeugma

A device in which unexpected items in a sentence are linked together by shared words.

didactic

A primary goal to teach the reader a lesson.

genre

A type or kind.

motif

Recurring images, symbols, themes, or characters.

Denotation

A word's literal meaning.

Connotation

The association evoked by words beyond its literal meaning. It reflects broad cultural associations (ethos).

logos

Rhetorical appeal focusing on logic.

ethos

Rhetorical appeal focusing on ethics (what is accepted among people who live in same time and place).

pathos

Rhetorical appeal focusing on emotions.

allegory

A type of narrative that has two levels of meaning: surface and deeper.

ambiguity

The result of something being stated in such a way that its meaning cannot be determined definitely.

syntax

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

linguistics

The science of language.

linguistics

The study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language.

linguistics

The study of the patterns of formation of sentences and phrases from words.

linguistics

The rules or patterns so studied: English syntax.

jargon

Language used by a particular group (teachers saying we are giving a TLI or a Chunk Test or referring to an "AYP.")

dissemination

As in "of ideas" to scatter; to disperse or spread.

discourse

Thoughts, statements, or dialogue of individuals especially characters in a literary work. This is also the language in which a subject or area of knowledge is discussed.

catharsis (noun), cathartic (adjective)

The emotional effect a drama has on its audience/ the purging of emotions or relieving emotional tensions especially through certain kinds of art like drama and music.

epiphany

Insight or revelation gained when one suddenly understands.

epitaph

An inscription on a tomb to commemorate the deceased.

setentia

Fancy term for a quotation of life saying.

maxim

Wise saying.

analogy

A comparison of the similar characteristics of two unlike things.

antagonist

Character who opposes protagonist.

apostrophe

Addressing or speaking to some abstract quality or non-human entity.

archetype

Story or pattern repeated from generation to generation.

assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds.

colloquial

Language that is informal or familiar to a group of people.con

consanance

Where a poet repeats the identical consonant sounds typically in the last syllable of words.

doppelganger

A German phrase that asserts that for each person there exists an exact replica, a shadow image.

elegy

A poem that reflects upon death.

enjambment

Occurs when a poet continues the grammatical sentence into the next line.

epanalepsis

Repetition of the beginning at the end of a clause or sentence.

hubris

A Greek term that means excessive pride.

juxtaposition

The placement of items close together often for purposes of contrasting or comparison.

stance

Attitude author has toward the audience.

chiasmus (a.k.a inverted parallelism)

A figure of speech in which a grammatical structure is repeated but in inverse order/ a reversal of ideas expressed in parallel clauses or phrases.

situational irony

Contrast between what you think will happen and what actually happens.

dramatic irony

The audience knows something the characters do not.

verbal irony

Contrast between what is stated and what is meant

pedantic

Overly concerned in one's learning.

euphemism

Substitution of words that sound not as harsh.

anachronism

Something or someone not in correct time period (dinging clock in Julius Caesar).

colloquialism

Informal speech or expression.

invective

Insulting or abusive words or expressions.

discernible

Distinguishable.

ambiguity

unclear; doubtful

nostalgic

Sentimental yearning for the happiness felt in a former time, place or situation.

simile

Comparing two things to clarify how they are alike...uses words like or as.

metaphor

Comparing two things without using like or as.

red herring

Meant to deter or throw off readers or speakers/ occurs when the writer creates a distraction.

exordium

Latin word for beginning/ introduction to an essay.

peroratio

Brings the essay to a close.

claim

Assertion or proposition.

claim of fact

Asserts if something is true or not true.

claim of value

Argues if something is good or bad.

claim of policy

Proposing a change.

closed thesis

Statement of the main idea of the argument that ALSO previews the major points the writer tends to make.

open thesis

The main idea of an argument but does not list all the points the writer intends to cover.

counterargument thesis statement

This statement usually contains an although or a but BEFORE the writer's opinion.

logical fallacies

Potential weaknesses in an argument.

fallacies of relevance

Using evidence that is not relevant to the claim.

ad hominem

Tactic of switching from the topic at hand to attacking the CHARACTER of the other speaker.

fallacies of accuracy

Using information that is inaccurate.

straw man fallacy

Using an oversimplified example in order to ridicule an opponent's view.

fallacies of insufficiency

Hasty generalizations, not enough evidence to support, & circular reasoning is repeating bad evidence resulting in no evidence at all.

satire

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues in order to raise awareness or to bring about change; ridiculing something in an attempt to bring about change or to raise awareness.

diction, images, details, language, sentence structure

What does D.I.D.L.S. stand for in “DIDLS Prose Analysis Method?”

diction

What words does the author choose? Consider his/her word choice compared to another. Why did the author choose that particular word? What are the connotations of that word choice?

images

What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory way? The kinds of images the author puts in or leaves out reflect his/her style? Are they vibrant? Prominent? Plain?

NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they appeal to the senses.

details

What details does the author choose to include? What do they imply? What does the author choose to exclude? What are the connotations of their choice of details?

PLEASE NOTE: Details are facts or fact-lets. They differ from images in that they don’t have a strong sensory appeal.

An author describing a battlefield might include details about the stench of rotting bodies or he might not.

Example of details

language

What is the overall impression of the language the author uses? Does it reflect education? A particular profession? Intelligence? Is it plain? Ornate? Simple? Clear? Figurative? Poetic?