English Rhetorical Terms Test One Flashcards
The device of using character and or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning
Allegory
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants in two or more neighboring words
Alliteration
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.
Allusion
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage
Ambiguity
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them
Analogy
One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences
Anaphora
A short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event
Anecdote
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun
Antecedent
Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure
Antithesis
A terse statement of know authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.
Aphorism
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified distraction, such as liberty or love
Apostrophe
Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses.
Asyndeton
The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the authors choice of objects that are described
Atmosphere
A figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse in the order of the analogous words
Chiasmus
A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb
Clause
The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing
Colloquial
A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible
Coherence
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects
Conceit
The nonliteral, associative meaning of a word, the implied meaning
Connotation
Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase
Diacope
Related to style, refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
Diction
Means teaching, has the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles
Didactic
Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of things
Enumeration
Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on either side of the word
Expletive
More agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept
Euphemism
The purpose is to explain something, one of the four chief types of composition
Exposition
A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout the work
Extended metaphor
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid
Figurative language
A device used to produce figurative language, many compare dissimilar things
Figure of speech
The term describes traditions for each genre, they help define each genre
Generic conventions
The major category into which a literary work fits
Genre
Means sermon, can also mean any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice
Homily
A fire of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement
Hyperbole
Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions are asked and then answered
Hypophora
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions
Imagery
The draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented
Inference/infer
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attach using strong, abusive language
Invective
The contacts between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant
Irony/ironic
When two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed close together or side by side for comparison or contrast
Juxtaposition
Means simple or plain, a figure of thought in which a point is affirmed by negating its opposite, special form of understatement
Litotes
A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses
Loose sentence
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity
Metaphor
Meaning changed label or substitute name, figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it
Metonymy
Different meanings: grammatical and deals with verbal units and speaker’s attitude/ literary and deals with the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work
Mood
The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events
Narrative
A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words
Onomatopoeia
A figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox
Oxymoron
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity
Paradox
Refers to grammatical or rhetorical frame of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity
Parallelism
