AP Lang Vocab #3 Literary Terms

Diction

choice of words

syntax

the arrangement of diction into a sentence

tropes

artful diction like metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole

schemes

artful syntax like parallel structure, juxtaposition, antithesis

inductive reasoning

reasoning from a specific case or cases to a general rule

deductive reasoning

reasoning from the more general to the more specific

metonymy

one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated with. Ex. the pen is mightier than the sword (pen stands for writing, sword stands for fighting) or The while house said today.. (the white house is the president).

synecdoche

term is used to refer to a whole thing of effect by a part of it. Ex. lend me your ears! Describing a vehicle as ‘wheels.’ (this is a part of metonymy)

Red herring

an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue.

false analogy

a statement that incorrectly tries to make connections between two dissimilar items

slippery slope

exaggerating the likely consequences of an action

hasty generalization

coming to a conclusion based on little evidence

ad hominem argument

personal attack - takes focus away from the issue

bandwagon

joining a cause because of its popularity

circular reasoning

an attempt to support a statement by simply repeating the statement in different or stronger terms.

either/or fallacy (false dilemma)

only two alternatives are suggested when many more may be possible

straw man

distorting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to object to, or misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to object to.

post hoc or false cause

one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier

stacking the deck

in this fallacy, the speaker does this in her factor by ignoring examples that disprove the point, and listing only those examples that support her case.

appeal to lack of evidence

(Argumentum Ad Ignorantium, literally “argument from ignorance'“) Appealing to a lack of information to prove a point, or arguing that since the opposition cannot disprove a claim, the opposite stance must be ture. Ex: ghosts must exist because no one has been able to prove that they do not exist.

equivcation

doublespeak - using words with more than one meaning (ambiguous to confuse.)

appeal to tradition

something is better or correct simply because it is older, has always been done that way.

poisoning the well

unfavorable information (be it true or false) about someone is presented; therefore, any claims that person makes will be false

appeal to pity

(also called argumentum ad misericordiam) is a fallacy in which someone tries to win support for an argument or idea by exploiting his or her opponent’s feelings of pity or guilt