Basic List of Rhetorically Accurate Verbs Flashcards
Abstract Language
Refers to intangible ideas rather than real world objects
Alliteration
Reoccurrence of same letter or sound
Allusion
indirect or passing reference
Ambiguity
not concrete
Anaphora
the use of a word referring to or replacing a word used earlier in a sentence, to avoid repetition, such as “do” in “I like it and so do they”.
Anecdote
a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
“love is the antithesis of selfishness”
Analogy
An analogy is saying something is like something else to make some sort of explanatory point. For example, “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.” You can use metaphors and similes when creating an analogy.
Cliche
a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.
“the old cliché “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.””
Concrete Language
Concrete words refer to tangible, qualities or characteristics, things we know through our senses. Words and phrases like “102 degrees,” “obese Siamese cat,” and “deep spruce green” are concrete.
Dichotomy
A dichotomy is a contrast between two things. When there are two ideas, especially two opposed ideas — like war and peace, or love and hate — you have a dichotomy.
Ethos
Appealing to credibility, can a person be trusted
Euphemism
A euphemism is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant.
“Passed away” instead of “died” “Let go” instead of “fired” “Make love” instead of “sex” “Put down” instead of “euthanized”
Exigence
Exigence is typically the moment or event that motivates someone to write or to speak about a specific issue, problem, or situation.
Extended metaphor
An extended metaphor is a version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs, or stanzas of prose or poetry.
“You’re a snake! Everything you hiss out of your mouth is a lie.Mar 25, 2022
Extended simile
An extended simile, much like a simile, is a detailed comparison between two unlike objects or ideas.
“Our friendship is like a flower, we grow together, blossom together, together forever my best friend.”
Figurative Language
If you say “that news hit me like a ton of bricks,” you are using figurative language; listeners understand the news you got was deeply moving, and also know that you were not actually hit by 2000 pounds of bricks (because if you had been you would be dead).
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse,” “I’ve seen this movie a hundred times,” or “It cost an arm and a leg.”
Hypothetical Example
A not real example
Examples: If I were a bird, I could fly. If she were my daughter, I would love her.
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
Inference
An inference is a conclusion that has been reached by way of evidence and reasoning. For example, if you notice someone making a disgusted face after they’ve taken a bite of their lunch, you can infer that they do not like it.
Irony
In an ironic phrase, one thing is said, while another thing is meant. For example, if it were a cold, rainy gray day, you might say, “What a beautiful day!” Or, alternatively, if you were suffering from a bad bout of food poisoning, you might say, “Wow, I feel great today.”
Jargon
special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.
“legal jargon
Juxtaposition
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
“the juxtaposition of these two images”
Logos
logos, (Greek: “word,” “reason,” or “plan”) plural logoi, in ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian theology, the divine reason implicit in the cosmos, ordering it and giving it form and meaning. Basically logic
Metaphor
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
“Life is a highway. Her eyes were diamonds. He is a shining star. The snow is a white blanket.”
Mood
the mood, like duh
Oxymoron
Oxymorons like “seriously funny,” “original copy,” “plastic glasses,” and “clearly confused” juxtapose opposing words next to one another, but their ability to make sense despite their opposing forces adds wit to writing.
Paradox
paradox, apparently self-contradictory statement, the underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny. The purpose of a paradox is to arrest attention and provoke fresh thought. The statement “Less is more” is an example.
Parallelism/Parallel Structure
Parallelism refers to using similar words, clauses, phrases, sentence structure, or other grammatical elements to emphasize similar ideas in a sentence. It makes the sentence concise, clear, and easy to read. Parallel structure is important especially in items in a series, paired items, and items in an outline or list.
Pathos
Purpesly evoking a person’s emotions
personification
the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
Point of view
a particular attitude or way of considering a matter.
“I’m trying to get Matthew to change his point of view”
Purpose
The purpose, the message
Rhetorical situation
Includes the purpose, speaker, context, exigence, and audience, helps people understand the work better
Satire
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Symbol
A mark or character that represents an idea or object
Tone
Authors attitude towards a certain topic
Understatement
the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.
Wordplay
literary device in which writers employ the definitions or sounds of words for the sake of amusement (puns, for example)
SPACE CAT
Speaker, purpose, audience, context, exigence, choices, appeals, tone
Anachronism
something that exists in the wrong time it was made for, like pulling up to a restaurant dinner in Manhattan in a horse drawn carriage
Aphorism
an observation that contains a general truth, for example “A penny saved is a penny earned.” “Actions speak louder than words.” “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Invective
insulting, abusive, or highly critical language, “he let out a stream of invective”
Chiasmus
when something is repeated in reverse order, ‘Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.’.
Epistrophe
the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences.
Polysyndeton
the use of several conjunctions in close succession, esp where some might be omitted, as in he ran and jumped and laughed for joy.
Syllogism
an instance of a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn (whether validly or not) from two given or assumed propositions (premises), each of which shares a term with the conclusion, “All mammals are animals. All elephants are mammals. Therefore, all elephants are animals.”
Logical fallacies
Logical Fallacies | Definition, Types, List & Examples
It asserts that something must be true because it hasn’t been proven false—or that something must be false because it has not yet been proven true. For example, “unicorns exist because there is no evidence that they don’t.”
connotation
Connotation is the use of a word to suggest a different association than its literal meaning, which is known as denotation. For example, blue is a color, but it is also a word used to describe a feeling of sadness, as in: “She’s feeling blue.”
denotation
OPPOSITE OF CONNOTATIVE, The denotative meaning of a word is its main meaning, not including the feelings and ideas that people may connect with that word
pedantic
Pedantic Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Pedantic is an insulting word used to describe someone who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter
monosyllabic
In linguistics, a monosyllable is a word or utterance of only one syllable, “Yes”, “no”, “jump”, “buy”, “heat”, “sure”, “cough”, and “and”
polysyllabic
Polysyllabic words have many syllables, but generally refers to words with more than three, like hippopotamus and misunderstanding.
euphonious
Something euphonious sounds beautiful and pleasant. “You have a euphonious voice!” is a great compliment for a singer.
cacophony
The word originates from Greek, actually meaning ‘bad sound, like dishes crashing on the floor.
colloquial
used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.
“colloquial and everyday language”,
Some examples of informal colloquialisms can include words (such as “y’all” or “gonna” or “wanna”), phrases (such as “old as the hills” and “graveyard dead”), or sometimes even an entire aphorism (“There’s more than one way to skin a cat” and “He needs to step up to the plate.”).
