7 Stylistic Rhetorical Devices

Question 1

Adnomination

Answer 1

Adnomination is the use of two or more words that share similar roots in a sentence.

Somebody said something someone didn’t like.

Question 2

Aposiopesis

Answer 2

An aposiopesis occurs when the speaker leaves their sentence unfinished.

Ex. I killed all his ____

Question 3

Circumlocution

Answer 3

The use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive.

Also known as periphrasis.

Ex. She’s my mothers other female sibling.

Question 4

Dysphemism

Answer 4

The opposite of a euphemism.

Ex. Euphemism: We made love. Nuetral: We had sex. Dysphemism: We fucked.

Question 5

Ellipsis

Answer 5

Ellipsis is the omission of words from a sentence, encouraging the reader to “fill in the blank.”

Ex. (Redacted) killed Daniella.

Question 6

Isocolon

Answer 6

A writer uses isocolon when they write a parallel sentence in which each element has the same number of words or syllables.

Ex. I came, I saw, I conquered. (Veni, vidi, vici.) —Julius Caesar

Question 7

Pleonasm

Answer 7

A pleonasm is an intentional redundancy.

Ex. I saw it with my own two eyes.