tropes and schemes vocab

anaphora

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

antithesis

opposition, or contrast, or ideas of words in a balanced or parallel construction

asyndeton

deliberate omission of conjunctions (for, and, nor, or, yet, but, so) between a series

chiasmus/antimetabole

from greek word “criss-cross” a figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but inverted in the second clause

ellipsis

deliberate omission of a word or of words readily implied by the context

epistrophe

repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses, sentences, or poetic lines to add emphasis, rhythm, and emotional impact

juxtaposition

placement of two opposing things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair of series of related words, phrases, or clauses

polysyndeton

use of several conjunctions (and, or, nor, but,) in close succession, often slowing the rhythm while adding emphasis, drama, or a sense of overwhelming volume to a list

schemes

figures of speech that artfully deviate from the ordinary arrangement of words, focusing on syntax, structure, and sound to increase persuasion and impact

alliteration

repetition of the same sound beginning several words in sequence

allusion

brief reference to a person, event, or place read or fictitious, or to a work of art

hyperbole

use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightende effect

verbal irony

when someone says something that departs from what is expected. (sarcasm)

situational irony

when something happened or someone does something that departs from what is expected of them

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something that the character doesn’t

litotes

ironic and deliberate use of understatement can be a double negative=positive

metaphor

figure of speech that says one thing is another in order to explain by comparison

oxymoron

paradoxical juxtaposition, or placement of words side by side that seem to contradict each other

paradox

an apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure of truth

personification

attributing a lifelike quality to an inanimate object

rhetorical question

asking a question for purpose o eliciting an answer but for the purpose of asserting or denying something obliquely

metonymy/synecdoche

symbolic substitutio of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually meant

tropes

figure or speech that artfully twists or turns the conventional meaning ofwords to create a new, non-literal, or heightened effect

imperative sentence

sentences used to command, enjoin, implore, or entreat

imperative sentence example

“All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. But let us begin”

anaphora example

“Let both side explore… Let both sides seek… Let both sides unite…”

antithesis example

“We shall support any friend, oppose any foe”

asyndeton example

“We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty”

chiasmus/antimetabole example

“Fair is foul and foul is fair”

ellipsis example

“undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free”

epistrophe example

“Or half her worthiness that gave the ring/ Or your own honor to contain the ring/You would not then have parted with the ring”

juxtaposition example

“The sun peaks through the dark forest”

parallelism example

“to the store he will go. To the woods he will go. To heaven he will go. He will go.”

schemes example

parallelism, antithesis, etc.

alliteration example

“Let us go forth to lead the land we love”

allusion example

“She is as beautiful as Aphrodite”

hyperbole example

“I had to wait forever in line for food, and I was starving to death”

verbal irony example

“When I missed the basket he said, ‘The next LeBron James, huh?’”

situational irony example

“The firehouse burned down”

dramatic irony example

“The audience knows that Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo never got the message before he killed himself”

imagery example

“The smelly of the dirty socks permeated through the oily air”

litotes example

“You won’t be sorry”

metaphor example

“He is on the road to life consumed by twists and turns, directions not always known.”

oxymoron example

“I went to the Civil War Museum to see the new artifact”

paradox example

“You have to spend money to make money”

personification example

“History will be the final judge of our needs”

rhetorical question example

“Will you join me in this historic effort?”

metonymy/synecdoche example

bottle=drink, press=jouralism

tropes example

hyperbole, oxymoron, etc