AP Lang Unit 1+2 Rhetorical Terms

satire

the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.

persona

an external representation of oneself which might or might not accurately reflect one's inner self

formal persona

author represents themselves using proper, standard English

informal persona

author represents themselves using slang, casual, colloquial, and vernacular language

nonstandard persona

author represents themselves using unique and unexpected language

anaphora

repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines

epistrophe

ending a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words

polysyndeton

employing many conjunctions between clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm

asyndeton

the omission of conjunctions between clauses, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect

concrete detail

descriptions appeal to the five senses: what you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell

abstract detail

descriptions appeal to abstract ideas: concepts you can conceptualize but cannot define by senses alone

logos

appeal to logic when persuading

pathos

appeal to emotion when persuading

ethos

appeal to credibility and character of the author when persuading

exigence

what issue or problem inspires, motivates, provokes, or prompts a writer to create a text

audience

who a speech or writing is addressed

purpose

author’s intention/objective; how the author wants the audience to respond

invention

how the author utilizes rhetorical choices to achieve their purpose

metaphor

comparing two unlike objects without using “like” or “as”

synecdoche

a whole represented by parts (e.g. “set of wheels” = car)

metonymy

reference to something or someone by naming one of its attributes (e.g. “the crown” = ruler/monarch)

personification

giving non-human objects human traits

verbal irony

saying the opposite of what is meant

antithesis

juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas; using opposite phrases in close conjunction

syntax

sentence structure choices

diction

word choices

repetition

repeating words, letters, syllables, and sounds or repeating clauses, phrases, ideas

parallelism

the repetition of similar grammatical or syntactical patterns

chiasmus

the repetition of ideas or grammatical structures in inverted order

rhetorical question

a question asked for a purpose other than to obtain the information the question asks

anecdotal evidence

a short narrative account of an interesting event used to support an argument

paralipsis

stating and drawing attention to something in the very act of pretending to pass it over

understatement

opposite of exaggeration; writer uses a statement negatively to create the effect

litotes

phrase that uses negation to create an affirmative understatement (e.g. “that wasn’t half bad” = that was pretty/very good)

apostrophy

talking to an inanimate object