P2SB: Politics - Rhetorical Devices

Question 1

asyndeton

Answer 1

consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses

e.g. i walk, run, fly

effect: unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous and spontaneous, rather than a laboured account

Question 2

polysyndeton

Answer 2

use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause

e.g. i walked and ran and flew

effect: multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up, to stress the importance of each item

Question 3

rule of three / tricolon

Answer 3

use of three-part statements

e.g. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address: ‘that government of the people, by the people, and for the people’

effect: we seem to find things grouped in threes aesthetically pleasing

Question 4

anaphora

Answer 4

repetition of the same word(s) at the BEGINNING of successive sentence, clauses or phrases

‘we cannot secure peace by standing aside from war. we cannot end danger by putting safety before our friends. we cannot conquer fear by fearing to act ourselves.’

effect: emphasis

Question 5

epistrophe / antistrophe

Answer 5

repetition of the same word(s), at the END of successive sentences, clauses or phrases

e.g. i swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

Question 6

parallelism

Answer 6

similarity in the syntactical structure of a set of words in successive phrases, clauses or sentences.

e.g. let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty (John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address)

effect: emphasise the equal importance of the ideas, possible add balance and a sense of rhythm and symmetry, making the speech more memorable

Question 7

antithesis

Answer 7

establishes sharply contrasting ideas by juxtaposing them

e.g. to err is human; to forgive, divine

Question 8

hypophora

Answer 8

consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them, usually at some length

e.g. what is good for the human body? vegetables, fruits…

effect: helps to maintain curiosity and interest

Question 9

rhetorical question

Answer 9

question posed that is not answered by the writer/speaker, bc its answer is obvious orobviously desires

e.g. for if we lose the ability to perceive our faults, what is the good of living on

effect: emphasis, provocation (instead of seeking an answer)

Question 10

polarisation

Answer 10

using US vs THEM categorisation of people

e.g. they’re the enemy, and they wont stop unatil we’re all destroyed

effect: part of the positive self-presentation - negative other presentation of dichotomy

Question 11

disclaimer

Answer 11

an explicit disavowal of the very stance or opinion a speaker subsequently advocates

e.g. im not sexist, but i just think women belong in the kitchen because its natural

effect: aims at avoiding a bad impression when saying negative things about Others

combines positive self-presentation by mentioning Our positive characteristics, but then focus rather exclusively on Their negative attributes