AP Language and Composition: Rhetorical Handbook Vocabulary Flashcards

Diction and Style

• AP Language and Composition introduces Rhetorical Handbook Style: the way a writer expresses themselves through word choice, grammar, literary devices, and overall language use.
• Diction: an author’s choice of words. Because words carry specific meanings and affect feelings, diction can greatly impact a literary work.
  • Key idea: word choice shapes tone, mood, and audience interpretation.
• Connotation vs. Denotation
  • Denotation: the literal, dictionary definition of a word.
  • Connotation: the ideas, associations, or emotions tied to a word beyond its literal meaning (e.g., gold denotation is a malleable, yellow element; connotations include greed, luxury, avarice).
  • Purpose: writers use connotation to heighten vividness and reader engagement.
• Pedantic vs. Simple Language
  • Pedantic: academic-sounding, narrowly focused on book learning and formal rules.
  • Simple: plain, easy-to-read language.
  • Examples illustrate contrasts in tone and accessibility.
• Didactic
  • Definition: literature overloaded with informative or realistic material, often “preachy,” with fewer graceful details.
  • Examples: Aesop's Fables; Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey as didactic novel teaching readers how to act and read like a proper young lady.
• Literal vs. Figurative
  • Literal: what you see is what you get; figurative language adds symbolic or imagined meaning.
  • Example: Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening can be read literally or figuratively.
• Active vs. Passive Voice
  • Active: the subject performs the action.
  • Passive: the subject receives the action.
  • Example: passive: "The character is described as foolish."; active revision: "Dorine describes Tartuffe as foolish."
• Overstated vs. Understated (Hyperbole vs. Understatement)
  • Overstatement/Hyperbole: exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally (e.g., "I could eat a horse.")
  • Understatement: restrained expression often used for irony or subtlety.
• Colloquial vs. Formal
  • Colloquial: informal, conversational language; not suitable for formal contexts.
  • Formal: proper, standard language.
• Non-Standard Slang/Jargon
  • Slang/jargon associated with particular groups or contexts (e.g., legal jargon: affiant, indigent, ex parte).
• Syntax
  • The arrangement of words and phrases to form grammatical structures.
  • Repetition can be a key element of syntax and can connect to rhetorical purpose.
• Genre
  • Genre: a recognizable category of written works with conventions that help readers identify the type.
  • Examples listed below (Autobiography, Biography, Memoir, Chronicle, Diary, Essay, Fiction, Nonfiction, Parody, Prose, Satire, Sermon).

Genre and Text Types

• Autobiography: The biography of a person written by that person. Example: The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
• Biography: An account of a person’s life written or told by another. Example: John Adams by David McCullough.
• Memoir: The story of a part of a person’s life, focusing on a narrow segment of time; written by the person. Example: Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
• Chronicle: An extended account of historical events without interpretation or comment. Example: Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
• Diary: A daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations. Example: The Diary of Anne Frank.
• Essay: A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting a personal view, analytic or interpretive.
• Fiction: A literary work based on imagination, not strictly factual; e.g., Harry Potter by JK Rowling.
• Nonfiction: A work grounded in history or fact rather than imagination; e.g., John Adams by David McCullough.
• Parody: A literary form where the style of an author or work is mocked for comic effect. Example: The clowns in Dr. Faustus.
• Prose: Writing distinguished from poetry by rhythm; closer to everyday speech; includes most fiction and nonfiction.
• Satire: A literary work that ridicules human vices or folly; often with moral critique of social wrongs. Example: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift.
• Sermon: An oration by a prophet or clergy member. Example: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards.

Narrative Techniques

• Stream of Consciousness: A technique that records a character’s thoughts/feelings in a flowing, non-linear way; aims to reveal psychology in the moment.
  • Example excerpt from Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce.
• Editorial: An article in a newspaper or periodical presenting the opinion of the editor or publisher; not a neutral news piece.
  • Example: Editorial Board of The New York Times.

Rhetorical Strategies (Figures of Speech and Devices)

• Allusion: Indirect reference to a person, event, or work familiar to readers.
  • Example: Shakespeare’s line "You must borrow me Gargantua’s mouth first…" references Gargantua.
• Ambiguity: Doubtful meaning; sentence could have more than one interpretation.
  • Example: The Catcher in the Rye excerpt with ambiguous usages of "they" and "here".
• Anecdote: A brief account of a particular incident, personal or observed.
• Analogy: Explaining a subject by comparing it to a more familiar one.
  • Example: Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Timber Creek reference; the fall likened to a philosophical conundrum.
• Anaphora: Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive sentences for emphasis.
  • Example: Martin L. King-style cadence: "Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power; let us all unite…"
• Antithesis: A contrast of ideas in parallel grammatical structure.
  • Example: Sara Lee slogan demonstrates antithesis in a compact form.
• Aphorism: A brief, wise observation on life.
  • Examples: Emerson lines: "The book of Nature is the book of Fate"; "So far as a man thinks, he is free."
• Asyndeton: Omission of conjunctions in a series to place equal emphasis on elements.
  • Example: "I came, I saw, I conquered" (Julius Caesar).
• Enthymeme: A form of argument where part of the syllogism is implied rather than stated (premise/conclusion are present but not fully spelled out).
  • Example: Premise: "Dogs are more loyal than cats." Conclusion: "Therefore, you should get a dog instead of a cat."
• Euphemism: Substitution of a mild/indirect term for a harsh one.
  • Examples: "downsizing" instead of "cuts"; "passed away" instead of "died."
• Fallacies: Flawed arguments used to manipulate audiences; many types include ad hominem, false analogy, red herring, slippery slope.
• Hyperbole: Gross exaggeration not meant literally.
  • Example: "I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse."
• Hypotheticals: Construction of scenarios to test a theory or idea; used to reason about possibilities.
• Invective: Harsh, abusive language or diatribe against a person or thing.
  • Example uses Swift’s biting invective toward a group.
• Juxtaposition: Placing two elements side by side to highlight contrast.
  • Example: Mercutio vs. Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.
• Malapropism: Humorous misuse of a word, often with comic effect.
  • Examples: "pineapple of politeness"; misused terms in Sheridan’s The Rivals.
• Paradox/Oxymoron: A seemingly self-contradictory statement that may reveal truth; or a figure combining opposite terms.
  • Example: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." (Dickens)
• Parallelism: Phrases or clauses share the same grammatical structure for balance and emphasis.
  • Example: Obama’s inaugural address lines.
• Polysyndeton: Repetition of conjunctions in close succession to create a sense of accumulation.
  • Example: Dean’s quote: "and we’re going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan, and then we’re going to Washington, D.C…"
• Rhetorical Question: A question posed for effect, not to be answered directly.
  • Example: Aurelius: "For if we lose the ability to perceive our faults, what is the good of living on?"
• Sensory Detail: Language appealing to senses to paint a vivid picture.
  • Example: Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem imagery.
• Shift: General term for changes in tone, diction, point of view, etc., across a work.
• Syllogism: The base of logical construction; three-part reasoning (major premise, minor premise, conclusion).
  • Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
  • Mathematical/Logical rendering:
    ext{All men are mortal.} \ ext{Socrates is a man.} \ \therefore \quad ext{Socrates is mortal.}
• Tone: The writer’s attitude toward the reader and subject; can be formal, informal, playful, ironic, optimistic, pessimistic, etc.
  • Note on comparison: Swift and Pope vs Steinbeck show tonal differences.
• Tone Shift: A shift in tone within a work, often as the narrative or subject matter changes (e.g., Harry Potter series shifts from light to dark as the books progress).
• Perspective: The point of view of the rhetor/speaker; possible shifts across the text (first, second, third person).
• Purpose: The reason the argument is written; what the writer hopes to achieve; deeper than surface meaning.
  • Example: Hamilton’s purpose and questions about race/immigrant status.
• Theme/Thesis: The central message or argument of a literary work.
  • Example: Othello’s theme of jealousy.
• Voice: The author’s persona as conveyed through diction, sentence structure, and stylistic choices.
  • Example: Sylvia Plath’s voice as a victimized daughter, wife, and mother.
• Figures of Speech (review): Analogy, apostrophe, cliché, hyperbole, imagery, verbal irony, situational irony, extended metaphor, paradox/oxymoron, personification, pun, simile.

Argument/Persuasion Terms

• Audience: The people to whom the argument is directed (listeners, readers, onlookers).
  • Example: Tailoring language to a teenage audience.
• Argument: A form of reasoning aimed at proving a claim true or false.
  • Example: In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, hysteria leading to false accusations is argued.
• Ethos (ethical): Appeal to credibility/character.
  • Example: A candidate listing credentials and service history to gain trust.
• Pathos (emotional): Emotional appeal to the audience.
  • Example: Evoking concern about elderly when discussing Medicare.
• Logos (rational): Logical reasoning and evidence.
  • Example: Argument for infrastructure improvements with anticipated economic impact.
• Rhetorical Occasion (exigence): The context that provokes argument; includes audience, speaker, and purpose.
  • Note: Exigence is the new term describing what compels the rhetor to argue.
• Claim: A statement asserted as true.
  • Example: "Everyone should buy a computer."
• Deductive Reasoning: Reasoning from general premises to a specific conclusion; requires premises that guarantee the conclusion.
  • Structure: Major premise, Minor premise, Conclusion.
  • Example: ext{All humans are mortal.}\ ext{I am a human.}\ \therefore ext{ I am mortal.}
• Inductive Reasoning: Reasoning from specific examples to a general principle.
  • Example: "Fair trade agreements have raised the quality of life for coffee producers, so they could help other farmers as well."
• Line of Reasoning: The formal arrangement of claims and reasons leading to a conclusion; includes deductive and inductive forms.
• Evidence/Data: Support for a claim.
  • Example: "Good jobs require technological proficiency" – support tied to a claim.
• Warrant: The assumption linking evidence to the claim.
  • Example: The implication that technological progress will have broad societal benefits.
• Counterargument: Opposing argument to address within your argument.
  • Example: Right to vaccinate vs. community health concerns.
• Concession: Acknowledgement that the opposing side has value, while still arguing your primary point.
  • Example: The right to choose is part of American rights, but public well-being can justify vaccination requirements.
• Rebuttal: A response that refutes a counterargument.
  • Often introduced by words like "but" or "however."
  • Example: EUFA final attendance demonstrating broader fan interest despite earlier claims against equal pay.

Modes of Rhetoric (Expository and Related)

• Expository: Inform, instruct, or present ideas and general truths.
  • Major types: 1) Classification: Identifies the subject as part of a larger group with shared features.
    • Example: An essay describing Poe as Dark Romantic.
      2) Cause/Effect: Argues from cause to effect or effect to cause.
    • Example: Historical analysis of a writing style affected by context.
      3) Comparison/Contrast: Highlights similarities and differences to clarify a subject.
    • Example: An essay comparing two authors’ writing styles.
      4) Definition: Places a subject in a group and differentiates it from others.
    • Example: Defining the writing style of a given author.
      5) Analysis: Discusses content and style of a subject.
    • Example: An essay analyzing a passage from a particular author.
• Description: Verbal depiction of images in space/time; logical arrangement of imagery.
• Narration: Organizes events in time or space; tells what happened, when, where; may have a plot with a climax and resolution.
• Persuasion/Argument: Convinces an audience by proving or refuting a point using induction or deduction.
  • Example: A pamphlet persuading readers to vote for a candidate.
• Note on sources: Portions of the above definitions and examples are drawn from multiple reference sites listed in the transcript.

Connections and Relevance

• These terms connect to foundational principles of rhetoric, critical reading, and analytical writing.
• Real-world relevance: understanding ethos, pathos, logos helps evaluate media, political speeches, advertisements; recognizing fallacies improves argument evaluation.
• Ethical considerations: responsible use of rhetoric, avoiding manipulation (e.g., exploitative use of pathos, misused statistics, or deceptive equivalents).

Quick Reference: Core Formulas and Structures

• Syllogism (Deductive Reasoning):
  
  \text{All men are mortal.} \
  \text{Socrates is a man.} \
  \therefore \quad \text{Socrates is mortal.}
  
• Major/Minor Premises concept:
  • Major Premise: a general rule (e.g., All humans are mortal).
  • Minor Premise: a specific case (e.g., Socrates is a man).
  • Conclusion: derived from premises (e.g., Socrates is mortal).

Notes on Terminology and Cross-Links

• Exigence (Rhetorical Occasion): connects context, audience, and speaker to why an argument is produced. Understanding exigence deepens interpretation.
• Tone and Voice: tone reflects attitude toward subject/audience; voice reflects the author’s persona expressed through diction and syntax.
• Shifts (Tone Shift, Perspective Shift): recognize how a text evolves in mood, point of view, and argumentative stance.
• Ethical and Philosophical Implications: rhetoric can shape beliefs, influencing social norms and policy; critical analysis helps reveal underlying assumptions and bias.

References (from transcript)

• Definitions and examples were drawn from the provided glossary-like pages, with additional standard rhetorical knowledge.