lit terms 2

imagery

vivid use of language that evokes a reader’s senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing).

induction

reasoning from specific to general

irony

a contradiction between what is said and what is meant. incongruity between action and result

juxtaposition

placement of two things side by side for emphasis

litotes

understatement used deliberately

logos

a greek term that means word an appeal to logic one of aristotles three rhetorical appeals

melodramatic

overly emotional or sentimental

metaphor

a figure of speech or trope through which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else thus making an implicit comparison

metonymy

use of an aspect of something to represent the whole. “the suits were hard at work on the deal”

non sequiturs

those literary devices which include the statements sayings and conclusions that do not follow the fundamental principles of logic and reason they are frequently used in theater and comedies to create comedic effects

nostalgic

wishing for a return to the way things used to be. longing for the past, homesick

occasion

an aspect of context; the cause or reason for writing.

omniscient narrator

an all-knowing, usually third-person narrator.

onomatopoeia

use of words whose sound correspond with their semantic value.

oxymoron

a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms, such as "a small crowd," "jumbo shrimp," or "pretty ugly."

pacing

the relative speed or slowness with which a story is told or an idea is presented.

paradox

a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true. What would happen if Pinocchio states that his nose will grow right now?

parallelism

the repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical patterns.

paranomasia

using words that sound alike but that differ in meaning (punning). "Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends."

parody

a piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule.

pathos

a greek term that refers to suffering but has come to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of aristotle's three rhetorical appeals

periphrasis

substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name. i.e. "I need your John Hancock on this line."

persona

the speaker, voice, or character taken on by the author of a piece of writing. i.e. the persona Swift wrote in for "A Modest Proposal" was not, in fact, the thoughts of the author himself.

personification

assigning lifelike characteristics to inanimate objects.

polysyndeton

the deliberate use of a series of conjunctions. The opposite of a syndenton. Purpose to show excitement or inability to choose sides. i.e. "My favorite student is Jerrieca, or Jaquorian, or Jamaira, or Johnathan, or Jessica, or everyone in my 4th period."

propaganda

a negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information.

purpose

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

red herring

a fallacy of logic in which a desperate arguer often tries to change the ground of the argument by changing the subject.

refute

to discredit an argument, particularly a counterargument.

rhetoric

the study of effective, persuasive language use; according to Aristotle, use of the "available means of persuasion."

rhetorical modes

patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not limited to narration, description, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, definition, exemplification, classification and division, process analysis, and argumentation.

rhetorical question

a question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer.

rhetorical triangle

a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience (see Aristotelian triangle).

satire

an ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it.

scheme

a pattern of words or sentence construction used for rhetorical effect.

sentence variety

using a variety of sentence patterns to create a desired effect.

simile

a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two things.

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.

straw man

a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position.

style

the distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of words and figures of speech.

subject

in rhetoric, the topic addressed in a piece of writing

syllogism

a form of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion is supported by a major and minor premise (see premise; major, and minor)

synecdoche

a rhetorical device in which a whole is represented by naming one of its parts

syntax

sentence structure

thesis

the central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer

tone

the speaker’s attitude toward the subject or audience

treatise

a methodically and thoroughly written discussion of a topic

trope

artful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral way; also called a figure of speech

understatement

lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect

voice

in grammar, a term for the relationship between a verb and noun (active or passive voice) . in rhetoric, a distinctive quality in the style and tone of writing.