Rhetoric Vocabulary Notes

Rhetoric Vocabulary

• Rhetoric: The way speakers and writers use language to persuade an audience.

Key Rhetorical Devices

1. Anaphora
   • Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row.
2. Antithesis
   • Balancing contrasting words and phrases to highlight differences.
3. Diction
   • Word choice used to create a specific effect that often relies on the connotative meaning of the words.
4. Hyperbole
   • A form of exaggeration used for emphasis.
5. Irony
   • When the speaker says one thing but means the opposite.
6. Parallelism
   • Arrangement of words and phrases with similar grammatical structures for rhythm.
7. Allusion
   • A reference to something well-known outside the literary work.
8. Rhetorical Shift
   • A change in tone, often signaled by a transition phrase.
9. Tone
   • The attitude a writer takes toward the subject, characters, or audience.
10. Understatement
    • Minimizing something negative or harsh; related concept - Litotes, which uses a negative for an understated effect (e.g., "Shakespeare isn’t too bad").

Rhetorical Appeals

11. Logos
    • Appeal to logical reasoning, emphasizing facts and order.
12. Pathos
    • Evokes specific emotions from the audience.
13. Ethos
    • Establishes the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker or writer.
14. Claim
    • An assertion of truth made by a speaker or writer.
15. Author’s Purpose
    • The intended goal behind a speaker's or writer's work. In literary analysis focus is on themes; in rhetorical analysis, it’s on the author’s purpose.
16. Supporting Details
    • Information provided to reinforce the main idea.
17. Audience
    • The group or individual to whom the speaker or writer appeals.
18. Concession
    • Acknowledgment of the opposing argument’s valid points.
19. Counterargument
    • The opposing side of a speaker’s or writer’s argument.
20. Refutation
    • Argument against the counterargument; demonstrates the strength of the writer's own argument.
21. Bias
    • Prejudging something, which can be either positive or negative.

Propaganda Techniques

22. Propaganda Techniques
    • Persuasive methods used to influence opinions and behaviors, potentially biased.
23. Ad Hominem
    • Attacking an opponent instead of addressing the argument.
24. Hasty Generalization
    • Drawing conclusions about a population from a small sample.
25. Red Herring
    • Introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the main issue.
26. Ad Populum (Bandwagon)
    • Using peer pressure to suggest the audience should adopt a certain belief.
27. False Cause
    • Incorrectly assumes a cause-and-effect relationship (Post hoc ergo propter hoc).
28. False Dilemma
    • Limits choices to avoid considering other options.
29. Circular Reasoning
    • An argument assumes the conclusion without supporting evidence.
30. Slippery Slope
    • Proposes extreme consequences from a minor cause.
31. Straw Man
    • Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack.

Additional Literary Devices

32. Repetition
    • Repeating a word or phrase to create emphasis.
33. Simile
    • An explicit comparison between two unlike things, using "like" or "as."
34. Metaphor
    • Direct comparison between two unlike things without comparative words.
35. Flashback
    • A scene that interrupts the chronological sequence to depict an earlier time.
36. Thesis
    • The combination of a topic with a debatable opinion.
37. Anecdote
    • A brief personal story used to illustrate a point.
38. Analogy
    • Comparison of two things to show their similarities.
39. Rhetorical Question
    • A question posed for effect, not requiring an answer.
40. Cause and Effect
    • Discussing events in correlation, signal words include: "because," "as a result," "hence."
41. Problem/Solution
    • Presenting a problem with a suggested solution, signal words include: "propose," "remedied."
42. Classification
    • Dividing topics into parts or groups for discussion, signal words include: "categories," "divisions."
43. Compare and Contrast
    • Emphasizing similarities and differences, signal words include: "likewise," "however."
44. Chronological
    • Events described in the order they occurred, signal words include: "after," "finally."
45. Narration
    • Telling the story or providing an account of events.
46. Dialogue
    • Conversation between characters.
47. Descriptions
    • Using sensory details to illustrate a subject.
48. Statistical Evidence
    • Data utilized to support a point.
49. Jargon
    • Specialized language used by specific groups (e.g., medical, legal).
50. Sarcasm
    • The use of mockery or bitter irony.
51. Fact
    • Information that is verifiable and true.
52. Opinion
    • A personal belief about something.