AP Lang. Vocabulary 21-40 Flashcards
Anaphora
in writing or in speech, the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect. Possibly the oldest literary device has its roots in Biblical Psalms used to emphasize certain words or phrases. Gradually, Elizabethan and Romantic writers brought this device into practice. “ This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings[…] this land of such dear souls, this dear land.”
Epistrophe
this is derived from a Greek word that means turning upon, which indicates the same word returns at the end of a sentence. This is a stylistic device that can be defined as the repetition of phrases or words at the end of clauses or sentences. It is also called epiphora. Examples are often found in literary pieces, in persuasive writing, and in speeches.
Asyndeton
derived from a Greek word that means unconnected. It is a stylistic device used in literature and poetry to intentionally eliminate conjunctions between the phrases and the sentence, yet maintain the grammatical accuracy. this literary tool helps in reducing the indirect meaning of the phrase and presents it in a concise form. This helps in speeding up the rhythm of words. mostly this technique is employed in speech but can be used in written works.
Polysyndeton
this term comes from a Greek word meaning “bound together”. it makes the use of coordinating conjunctions like “and”, “or”, “but”, and “nor” (mostly and and or) which are used to join successive words, phrases, or clauses in such a way that these conjunctions are even used where they might have been omitted.
Synecdoche
a literary device in which part of something represents the whole or it may use the whole to represent a part. Distinguishing between this and metonymy often takes some thoughtful consideration.
Tone
in a written composition, an attitude of a writer towards a subject or an audience. It is important for the reader to “sense” to determine an argument. This is generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
Process Analysis
a step-by-step breakdown of the phases of a process, used to convey the details of each phase of thinking, an operation, etc. it is often used to improve understanding and also to breakdown an argument to make it more comprehensible.
Syntax
a set of rules in a language. It dictates how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought. In plain English, this refers to HOW we choose to arrange our words. The choice of those specific words is called DICTION. Thus, the two are closely related to creating an argument.
Provocative Diction
“diction” is our choice of words. Thus, “provocative diction” is the purposeful choice of words serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate a provocative question that will frame a rhetorical argument.
Classification
the action or process of classifying something according to shared qualities or characteristics. This often is a strategy of argumentation or an argumentative response in an effort to provide the reader with the structure to YOUR argument. It would be considered support to both LOGOS and ETHOS in presenting an argument.
Understatement
For example, you win 10 million dollars in a lottery. When you tell a reporter “I am delighted”, you are making an understatement. Similarly, suppose a team loses to its opponent 50 to in a soccer match and the captain of the team in a post-match ceremony says, “We did not do well”, it is an understatement, because he is trying to decrease the intensity of the loss. It is the opposite of OVERSTATEMENT or HYPERBOLE.
Colorful Diction
diction is your conscious choice of words as a writer. It stands to reason that “colorful diction” is a very purposeful word choice that will serve to accentuate meaning and tone.
Counterargument
an argument or set of reasons put forth to oppose an idea or theory developed in another argument. When writing in the argumentative mode, it is mandatory that the writer acknowledges the “other side” to his or her argument. It is part of the refutation of someone else’s claim to support your own “side” of the argument.
Claim
if somebody gives an argument to support his/her position, it is called making a claim. Different reasons are usually presented to prove why a certain point should be accepted as logical. Premise 1 Premise 2 Premise 3 Premise N Therefore, Conclusion
Evidence
A type of literary device that appears in different categories of essays and theses in the form of paraphrase and quotations,]. It is presented to persuade the readers and used with powerful arguments in the text or essay. In rhetoric, when a person makes a claim or presents an argument, he needs to present evidence in support of his claim and argument in order to establish the veracity and authenticity of his claim or argument.
