Ap Rhetorical Devices Flashcards
Define Aphorism
A concise statement designed to make a point or illustrate a commonly held brief. The writing of Benjamin Franklin contain many Aphorism, such as “Early to bed and early to rise/Make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”
Define Apostrophe
A figure of speech in which a person,thing, or abstract quality is addressed as if present; for example, the invocation to the muses usually found in epic poetry.
Define Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, as in “Jumbo Shrimp” or “deafening silence”
Define Allusion
A figure of speech which makes brief, even casual references to a historical or literary figure, event, or object to create a resonance in the reader or to apply a symbolic meaning to the character or object of which the allusion consists.
Define Satire
A literary style used to make fun of or ridicule an idea or human vice or weakness
Define Foil
A person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast
Define Parody
A satirical imitation of a work of art for purpose of ridiculing its style or subject
Define Sarcasm
A sharp caustic remark. A form of verbal irony in which apparent praise is actually bitterly or harshly critical. For example, a coach saying to player who misses the ball, “Nice Catch”
Define Irony
A situation or statement characterized by significant difference between what is expected or understood and what actually happens or is meant. Irony is frequently humorous, and can be sarcastic when using words to imply the opposite of what they normally mean.
Define Paradox
A statement that seem contradictory, but is actually true.
Define Onomatopoeia
A word capturing or approximating the sound of what it describes, such as buzz or hiss.
Define Diction
An author’s choice of word to convey a tone or effect
Define Hyperbole
An overstatement characterized by exaggerated language
Define Analogy
Comparison of two things that are alike in some respects. Metaphors and similes are both types of Analogy
Define Anecdote
A brief Story or tale told by a character in a piece of literature
Define Litote
Form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis and intensity. For example, “She is not a bad cook” Or “No man ever followed his genius until it misled him”. Thoreau
Define Allegory
Narrative form in which characters and actions have meanings outside themselves; characters are usually personifications of abstract qualities
Define Colloquial
Ordinary language; the vernacular. For example, depending on where in the United States you live, a sandwich is called a sub, a grinder, or a hero.
Define Juxtaposition
Placing of two items side by side to create a certain effect, reveal an attitude, or accomplish some other purpose
Define Parallelism
Recurrent syntactical similarity where several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed alike to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences equal in importance. It also adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the sentence. For example, “I have always searched for, but never found the perfect painting for that wall.”
Define Anaphora
Regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or clauses. For example, “ we shall fight in the trenches. We shall fight on the oceans. We shall fight in the sky.”
Appeals to; Authority, Emotion, Logic
Rhetorical arguments in which the speaker; either claims to be an expert or relies on information provided by experts (appeal to Authority), Attempts to affect the listener’s personal feelings ( appeal to Emotion), or Attempts to persuade the listener through use of deductive reasoning (appeal to logic).
Define Imagery
Sensory details in a work; the use of figurative language to evoke a feeling, call to mind an idea, or describe an object. Imagery involves any or all the five Senses.
Define Euphemism
Substitution of a milder or less direct expression for one that is harsh or blunt. For example, using “passed away” for “dead.”
Voice
The acknowledged or unacknowledged source of words of the story; the speaker, a “person” telling the story or poem.
Define Tone
The attitude a literary work take towards it subject and theme. It reflects the narrator’s attitude.
Define Denotation
The dictionary definition of a word; the direct and specific meaning
Define Mood
The feeling or ambience resulting from the tone of a piece as well as the writer/narrator’s attitude and point of view. The effect is created through descriptions of feelings or objects that establish a particular feeling such as gloom, fear, or hope.
Define Asyndeton
The practice of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. In a list, it gives a more extemporaneous effect and suggests the list may be incomplete. For example, “He was brave, fearless, afraid of nothing.”
Define Alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds or any vowel sounds within a formal grouping, such as a poetic line or stanza, or in close proximity in prose.
Define Persona
The voice or figure of the author who tells and structures the story and who may or may not share of the values of the actual author.
Define Syntax
The way words are put together to form phrases, clauses, and sentences. It is sentence structure and how it influences the way a reader perceives a piece of writing.
•Canon (canonical) - the works of an author that have been accepted as authentic.
•foreshadow- to hint at or present things to come in a story or play
•begging the question- to sidestep or evade the real problem
Define personification
Treating an abstraction or nonhuman object as if it were a person by giving it human qualities.
Define Connotation
What is implied by a word. For example, the words sweet, gay, and awesome have connotations that are quite different from their actual definitions.
