Rhetorical_Terms_List_Updated_11

Purpose

• Knowing rhetorical terms enables sophisticated discussion about how authors achieve their aims.

• Essential for the AP English Language and Composition exam.

• Exam Format:

  • Section One: Matching definitions to terms.

  • Section Two: Identify rhetorical devices in reading passages.

• Missed Exam Policy:

  • Excused absences allow for makeup within the week.

  • Unexcused absences result in a zero.

Glossary of Rhetorical Terms

Allegory

• Definition: Using characters/story elements symbolically to represent abstract concepts in addition to the literal meaning.

• Examples: Animal Farm by George Orwell; The Wizard of Oz.

Alliteration

• Definition: Repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.

• Purpose: Reinforces meaning, unifies ideas, supplies musicality, echoes sense of the passage.

• Example: "She sells sea shells."

Allusion

• Definition: A reference to an event, book, myth, place, or artwork presumed to be commonly known.

• Purpose: Gives authority, makes connections, creates memorable phrases.

• Example: "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."

Ambiguity

• Definition: Multiple meanings of a word, phrase, or passage, either intentional or unintentional.

• Examples: "We saw her duck."; "I can't recommend this book too highly."

Analogy

• Definition: Similarity or comparison between two different things.

• Purpose: Explains the unfamiliar through familiar concepts, makes writing more vivid.

• Example:

  "He that voluntarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces."

Anaphora

• Definition: Repetition of the same expression at the beginning of lines, clauses, or sentences.

• Purpose: Creates memorable, powerful effects.

• Examples:

  "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."

Anecdote

• Definition: A short narrative about an interesting event.

• Purpose: Provides concrete examples, humanizes abstract concepts.

Antecedent

• Definition: The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

• Applications: Often tested on the AP exam.

Additional Terms

Antithesis

• Definition: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas through parallel structure.

• Examples:

  "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Aphorism

• Definition: A terse statement expressing a general truth or moral principle.

• Examples:

  "I think, therefore I am."

Apostrophe

• Definition: Direct address to an absent or imaginary person.

• Purpose: Displays intense emotion.

• Examples:

  "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour."

Asyndeton

• Definition: Omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses.

• Purpose: Creates a sense of urgency and multiplicity.

• Examples:

  "On his return he received medals, honors, treasures."

Atmosphere

• Definition: The emotional mood created by a work, influenced by setting and descriptive elements.

Chiasmus

• Definition: Parallel phrases in reverse order.

• Examples:

  "Pleasure’s a sin, and sometimes sin’s a pleasure."

Clause

• Definition: A grammatical unit with a subject and a verb.

• Types: Independent (complete thought) vs. Dependent (requires an independent clause).

Colloquial/Colloquialism

• Definition: Informal language or slang in writing.

• Purpose: Creates conversational tone.

Continuation of Terms

Coherence

• Definition: Clarity in the arrangement of parts in composition.

Conceit

• Definition: An extended metaphor or surprising analogy.

Connotation

• Definition: The implied, suggested meaning of a word.

Denotation

• Definition: The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Diacope

• Definition: Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word.

Diction

• Definition: Author's word choices influencing style and effectiveness.

Didactic

• Definition: Works primarily aimed to teach or instruct, especially moral principles.

Enumeratio

• Definition: Amplification through detailing components or listing parts of a subject.

Expletive

• Definition: Figure of emphasis; a word or phrase interrupting normal speech for emphasis.

Euphemism

• Definition: A less offensive term substituted for a harsh one.

Exposition

• Definition: The explanatory component of a composition or initial part of a drama.

Extended Metaphor

• Definition: A metaphor developed at great length throughout a work.

Figurative Language and Techniques

Figurative Language

• Definition: Writing that intends to be imaginative and vivid.

Figure of Speech

• Definition: Devices producing figurative language, e.g., metaphor, simile, hyperbole.

Generic Conventions

• Definition: Traditions that define each genre, helping differentiate various writing forms.

Genre

• Definition: Major categories in literature, such as prose, poetry, and drama.

Homily

• Definition: A serious talk or lecture offering moral or spiritual advice.

Hyperbole

• Definition: Deliberate exaggeration for effect.

Hypophora

• Definition: A question posed and then answered by the same speaker.

Imagery

• Definition: Descriptive language appealing to the senses, creating emotional responses.