APL Rhetorical Terms Flashcards
abstract
refers to language that descrives concepts rather than concrete images (ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places). The observal or “physical” is usually described in concrete language.
allegory
an extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story; the surface of the story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric
anecdote
a short, simple narrative of an incident, often used for humerous effect or to make a point
annotation
explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical dates
antithesis
the presentation of two contrasting images. the ideas are balanced by word, phrase, clause, or paragraphs. “To be or not to be…” ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country
aphorism
a short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life “early bird gets the worm”
apostrophe
usually in poetry but sometimes in prose, the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction
argumentation
writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments; persuasion.
cacophony; dissonance
harsh awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony
caricature
descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person’s appearance or a facet personality
colloquialism
a word or phrase (slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y’all, ain’t)
coherence
unity quality of a piece of writing which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme, or organizing principle
concrete language
language that describes specific, observable things, people, or places, rather than ideas or qualities
connotation
implied or suggested meaning of a word because of its association in the reader’s mind
consonance
repition of identical consonant sounds with in two or more words in close proximity as in boost/best. it can also be seen with in several compound words like ping-pong
conundrum
a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; it may also be a paradox or difficult problem
deduction
the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example
denotation
literal meaning of a word
description
the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch
diction
word choice, an element of style; diction creates tone, attitude, and style, as well as meaning. different types and arrangements of words have significant effects on meaning. an essay written in academic diction would be less colorful, but perhaps more precise than street slang
didactic
writing whose purpose is to instruct or to teach. a didactic work is usually formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns. didactic writing may be fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking
discourse
spoken or written language, including literary works; the 4 tradionally classified modes of discourse our description, exposition, narration, and persuasion
emotional appeal- pathos
when a writer appeals to reader’s emotions to excite and involve them in argument
epigraph
the use of quotations at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme. hemingway begins. The Sun Also Rises with 2 epigraphs. one of them is “You are all a lost generation” by Gertrude Stein
ethical appeal- ethos
when a writer tries to persuade the audience to respect and believe him or her based on a presentation of image of self through the text. reputation is sometimes a factor in ethical appeal, but in all cases the aim is to gain the audience’s confidence
euphemism
a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. “he went for his final reward” is a common euphemism for “he died”. euphemisms are also often used to obscure the reality of a situation. the military uses “collateral damage” to indicate civilian death’s in a military operation
euphony
a succession of harmonious sounds used in poetry or prose; the opposition of cacophony
example
representation of an instance
explication
the art of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text. explication usually involves close reading and special attention ro figurative language
exposition
the immediate revelation to the audience of the setting and other background information necessary for understanding the plot; also explanation; one of the 4 modes of discourse
generalization
when a writer bases a claim upon an isolated example or asserts that a claim is certain rather than probable. sweeping generalizations occur when a writer asserts that a claim applies to all instances instead of some
genre
a type of literary work, such as a novel or poem, there are also subgenres such as science fiction or sonnet, with in the larger genres
humor
anything that causes laughter or amusement; up until the end of the Renaissance, humor meant a person’s temperament
hyperbole
deliberate exaggeration in order to create humor emphasis
image
a word or words, either figurative or literal, used to describe a sensory experience or an object perceived by the sense. an image is always a concrete representation.
