ENGL1010 Vocab Words

Aristotelian appeals

Three different methods of appealing to an audience to convince them

Audience

The person or people the speaker expects to receive their message

Context

The various circumstances surrounding any communication

Conservatism

A political philosophy, based on tradition and social stability, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change

Ethos

The distinguishing character, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person or group

Exigence

The issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak

Genre

The specific category or type of work being presented

Ideology

A system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of an economic or political theory, belief, or system

Liberalism

A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, the autonomy of the individual, and the protection of civil liberties

Logos

The use of, or appeal to, reason and logic

Misinterpretation

Failure to understand or interpret something correctly

Mitigation

To make something less harsh, severe, or painful

Partisan

A firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person

Pathos

The use of, or appeal to, an emotional response

Precis

A concise summary of essential points, statements, or facts

Purpose

the authors persuasive intention--why they are speaking or writing

Qualified

To limit, modify, or define the scope of

Speaker

The persona adopted by the author to deliver his or her message

Tone

The use of stylistic devices to reveal an author’s attitude toward a subject

Understatement

Deliberately minimizing something, usually for humorous effect

Anomaly

Something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified

Aphorism

A short statement, often of unknown authorship, that expresses an idea widely accepted as true or moral

Cogent

Particularly relevant, related, and clear or convincing

Compromise

A form of rebuttal that seeks to find common or middle ground between the claim and counter-argument

Concession

A form of rebuttal that agrees with the opposing viewpoints on a certain, smaller point, but not the larger argument

Conjecture

An inference or conclusion formed by guesswork without sufficient evidence

Counterintuitive

Contrary to what one might assume or expect

Deductive reasoning

A form of logical reasoning wherein a general principal is applied to a specific case

Digression

The act of departing from the main point

Exemplification

Providing examples in service of a point

Explicit

Fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated

Inductive reasoning

Making a generalization based on specific evidence at hand

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another object that is closely associated with it

Rebuttal

The means of answering a counter-argument

Refutation

A form of rebuttal that completely rejects a claim

Reiteration

To state again for emphasis

Recapitulation

To summarize or restate main points

Sanctimonious

Hypocritically pious or devout

Synecdoche

Referring to one part of something as a way to refer to the whole

Overt

Obvious, undisguised, noticeable

Admonition

A warning

Aforementioned

Denoting a thing or person previously mentioned

Amalgamation

The action of uniting or merging two or more things

Anachronism

A chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or

customs in regard to each other

Anaphora

The repetition of words or phrases specifically at the

beginnings of lines or sentences

Auspicious

Something that suggests future success or good fortune; a

good omen

Bedlam

A scene of chaos, confusion, or uproar

Bellwether

A situation that serves as an indicator of trends

Clandestine

Secret or surreptitious

Diminish

To make or become less or seem less impressive or

valuable

Efficacy

The power to produce a desired effect or result

Egregious

Outstandingly and remarkably bad or severe

Contrived

Deliberately or artificially created, rather than naturally

arising

Credibility

The quality of being trusted and believed in

Deferential

Showing high respect or regard owed to a superior or

elder

Fallacious

Based on mistaken belief, untruths, or falsehoods

Innuendo

An allusive, veiled, or implied remark or suggestion,

usually hinting at something improper or impolite

Juxtaposition

Placing two, often very different things together for effect

Synthesis

Combining sources or ideas in a coherent way in service

of a larger point

Ubiquitous

Existing or seen everywhere at the same time; commonly

encountered