Rhetoric Flashcards
Repetition of words with the same root word: “News is what somebody, somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising” -Journalistic saying
Adnomination
Series of words that begin with the same consonant:
“the Three grey geese in a green field grazing. Grey were the geese and green was the grazing” -Mother Goose
Alliteration
Hyperbole taken to such extreme lengths insinuating a complete impossibility:
“A snowball’s chance in hell”
Adynaton
Wording ignoring syntax achieved with the help of transposing clauses within a sentence:
Anacoluthon (an-: ‘not’ + akolouthos: ‘following’)
Repetition of a word at the end of a clause at the beginning of another:
“Strength through purity, purity through faith” -Alan Moore
Anadiplosis
Repetition of the same word or group of words in a paragraph:
“I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean” -Langston Hughes
Anaphora (Greek: “carrying back”)
Changing the object, subject and verb order in a clause:
“Yea, his is all the work, and all that therein doth endure” -Coleridge
Anastrophe (Greek: “a turning back or about”)
An abrupt descent (either deliberate or unintended) on the part of a speaker or writer from the dignity of idea which he appeared to be aiming at:
“Die and endow a college or a cat”
Anticlimax (klimax: “staircase” or “ladder”)
Repetition of a single word, but with different meanings:
“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired, with enthusiasm” -Vince Lombardi
Antanaclasis (Greek: “reflection”)
Transformation of a word of a certain word class to another word class "I just verbed it, i just verbed verb" -Hank Green
Anthimeria (Greek: “anti” and “meros”, part)
Repetition of words in successive clauses, in reverse order:
“He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions” -Mystery Men
Antimetabole (Greek: “anti” and “metabole”, turning about, change)
Repetition of the same word or group of words in a paragraph:
“And that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” -A. Lincoln
Epistrophe, antistrophe or epiphora
Juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” -Dickens
Antithesis (Greek: “anti” + “thesis”, position)
Statement that calls into question the definition of a word
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is” -Bill Clinton
Aphorismus (Greek: “ a marking off, rejection, banishment”)
Breaking off or pausing speech for dramatic or emotional effect:
“Get out, or else…”
Aposiopesis (Greek, “becoming silent”)
Placing of two statements side by side, in which the second defines the first
Apposition
Repetition of vowel sounds
Assonance
Mocking answer or humorous answer that plays on a word
Asteismus
Omission of conjunctions between related clauses
Asyndeton
Juxtaposition of words producing a harsh sound
Cacophony
Co-reference of one expression with another expression which follows it
Cataphora
Linking a proper noun and a common noun with an article
Classification
Repetiotion of words in successive clauses, in reverse order
Chiasmus
Arrangement of words in order of increasing importance
Climax
Repetition of consonant sounds, most commonly within a short passage of verse
Consonance
Omission of words
Ellipsis
Changing the grammatical form of a word, but not its meaning
Enallage
Breaking of a syntactic unit (a phrase, clause, or sentence) by the end of a line or between two verses
Enjambment
An informal syllogism
Enthymeme
Repetition of the initial word or words of a clause or sentence at the end of the clause or sentence
Epanalepsis
Repetition of a word or several words
Epanodos
Repetition of the same word or group of words at the end of successive clauses. Counterpart of Anaphora
Epistrophe or antistrophe
Repetition of a single word, with no other words in between
Epizeuxis
Opposite of cacophony - i.e. a pleasant sounding
Euphony
Partially rhyming words
Half rhyme
Use of two nouns to express an idea when the normal structure would be a noun and an adjective or noun functioning as an adjective
Hendiadys
Use of three nouns to express one idea
Hendriatris
Ending the last words of a distinct part of the speech with the same syllable or letter
Homeoptoton
Words that are identical in spelling but different in origin and meaning
Homographs
Words that are identical with each other in pronunciation and spelling, but differing in origin and meaning
Homonyms
Words that are identical with each other in pronunciation, but differing in spelling, origin and meaning
Homophones
Words with the same suffix
Homeoteleuton
An abnormal, unexpected change of two segments in a sentence
Hypallage
Two ordinary associated words are detached. The term may also be used more generally for all different figures of speech which traspose natural word order in sentences
Hyperbaton
Exaggeration of a statement
Hyperbole
Every clause having its own independent subject and predicate
Hypozeuxis
The inversion of the usual temporal or causal order between two elements
Hysteron proteron
Use of parallel structures of the same length in successive clauses
Isocolon
Using two or more rhyming words in the same sentence
Internal rhyme
Using a compound word neologism to form a metonym
Kenning
Referring to a whole by enumerating some of its parts
Merism
Imitation of a person’s speech or writing
Mimesis
Word that imitates a real sound
Onomatopoeia
Repetition of the disjunctive pair “neither” and “nor”
Paradiastole
The use of similar structures in two or more clauses
Parallelism
Unexpected ending or truncation of a clause
Paraprosdokian
A parenthetical entry
Parenthesis
Speaking openly or boldly, in a situation where it is unexpected (i.e. politics)
Parrhesia
The use of additional words than are needed to express meaning
Pleonasm
Repetition of words derived from the same root
Polyptoton
Close repetition of conjunctions
Polysyndeton
Repetition of letter ‘s’, it is a form of alliteration
Sibilance
Trespassing grammatical and syntactical rules
Solecism
Switching place of syllables within two words in a sentence yielding amusement
Spoonerism
Declaring something the best within its class i.e. the ugliest, the most precious
Superlative
Simultaneous use of anaphora and epistrophe: the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning and the end of successive clauses
Symploce
Words that are intentionally scattered to create perplexment
Synchysis
Agreement of words according to the sense, and not the grammatical form
Synesis
Referring to a part by its whole or vice versa
Synecdoche
Use of two or more synonyms in the same clause or sentence
Synonymia
Redundancy due to superfluous qualification; saying the same thin twice
Tautology
Insertion of content within a compound word
Tmesis
The using of one verb for two or more actions
Zeugma
Expressing the want of something by denying it
Accismus
Extended metaphor in which a symbolic story is told
Allegory
Covert reference to another work of literature or art
Allusion
Phrasing which can have two meanings
Ambiguity
Posing a question to an audience, often with the implication that it shares a common interest with the speaker
Anacoenosis
A comparison
Analogy
Leaving a common known saying unfinished
Anapodoton
A form of pun in which a word is repeated in two different senses
Antanaclasis
Transformating a word’s word class
Anthimeria
Ascribing human characteristics to something that is not human, such as an animal or a god
Anthropomorphism
Repetition of words in successive clauses, but in switched order
Antimetabole
A name or a phrase used ironically
Antiphrasis
Substitution of a proper name for a phrase or vice versa
Antonomasia
Briefly phrased, easily memorable statement of a truth or opinion, an adage
Aphrorism
Invoking an idea by denying its invocation
Apophasis
Directing the attention away from the audience to an absent third party, often in the form of a personified abstraction or inanimate object
Apostrophe
Use of an obsolete word
Archaism
Form of hyperbole, in which a more important sounding word is used in place of a more descriptive term
Auxesis
Pompous speech with a ludicrously mundane worded anti-climax
Bathos
An amusing, overstated or grotesque comparison or examplification
Burlesque metaphor
Blatant misuse of words or phrases
Catachresis
Talking around a topic by substituting or adding words, as in euphemism or periphrasis
Circumlocution
Substitution of a harsher, more offensive, or more disagreeable term for another
Dysphemism
Immediate and emphatic self-correction, often following a slip of the tongue
Epanorthosis
Expressing doubt over one’s ability to hold speeches, or doubt over other ability
Dubitation
Lively describing something you see, often a painting
Elkphrasis
A speech consisting of praise; a eulogy
Encomium
A sort of amplification and accumulation in which specific aspects are added up to make a point
Enumeratio
Mentioning a saying and the commenting on it
Epicrisis
Rhetorical question displaying disapproval or debunks
Epiplexis
Initially pretending to agree with an opposing debater or invite one to do something
Epitrope
Rhetorical question
Erotema
Rhetorical question expressing approvement or refusal or belief in
Erotesis
Substitution of a less offensive or more agreeable term for another
Euphemism
Pompous speech
Grandiloquence
A loud calling or crying out
Exclamation
The act of insulting
Invective
Words that naturally belong together are separated from each other for emphasis or effect
Hyperbaton
Use of exaggerated terms for emphasis
Hyperbole
An implication or declaration of resemblance that does not directly name both terms
Hypocatastasis
Answering one’s own rhetorical question at length
Hypophora
Reversal of anticipated order of events; a form of hyperbaton
Hysteron proteron
Having a hidden meaning in a sentence that makes sense whether it is detected or not
Innuendo
Use of a word in a way that conveys a meaning opposite to its usual meaning
Irony
Repetition of a cohesive device at the end
Kataphora
Emphasizing the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite
Litotes
Using a word through confusion with a word that sounds similar
Malapropism
Use of understatement, usually to diminish the importance of something
Meiosis
Referring to a whole by enumerating some of its parts
Merism
Figurative speech is used in a new context
Metalepsis
Figurative language
Metaphor
A thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing or concept
Metonymy
The use of a word or term that has recently been created, or has been in use for a short time. Opposite of Archaism
Neologism
Statement that bears no relationship to the context preceding
Non sequitur
Mentioning something by reportedly not mentioning it
Occupatio
Using two terms together, that normally contradict each other
Oxymoron
Replacing in a phrase or text a second part, that would have been logically expected
Par’hyponoian
Extended metaphor told as an anecdote to illustrate or teach a moral lesson
Parable
Making a euphemism out of what usually is considered adversive. Extenuating a vice in order to flatter or soothe
Paradiastole
Use of apparently contradictory ideas to point out some underlying truth
Paradox
Phrase in which the latter part causes a rethinking or reframing of the beginnning
Paraprosdokian
Drawing attention to something while pretending to pass it over
Paralipsis
Humouristic imitation
Parody
Pun in which similar sounding words but words having a different meaning are used
Paronomasia
Ascribing human conduct and feelings to nature
Pathetic fallacy
A synonym for circumlocution
Periphrasis
Refuting anticipated objections as part of the main argument
Procatalepsis
Extreme form of paralipsis in which the speaker provides great detail while feigning to pass over a topic
Proslepsis
Adding a syllable to the beginning of a word
Prothesis
Succunct or pithy, often metaphorical, expression of wisdom commonly believed to be tru
Proverb
Play on words that will have two meanings
Pun
Asking a question as a way of asserting something. Asking a question which already has the answer hidden in it. O r asking a question not for the sake of getting an answer but for asserting something (or as in a poem for creating a poetic effect)
Rhetorical question
Use of long and obscure words
Sesquipedalianism
Comparison between two things using “like” or “as”
Simile
Alteration of cliché or phrasal template
Snowclone
The use of a word in its figurative and literal sense at the same time or where a single word in used in relation to two other parts of a sentence although the word grammatically or logically applies to only one
Syllepsis
Adaptation of style to the level of the audience
Syncatabasis
Giving an impression of impartiality
Synchoresis
Form of metonymy, referring to a part by its whole, or a whole by its part
Synecdoche
Description of one kind of sense impression by using words that normally describe another
Synesthesis
A self-evident statement
Truism
Combination of three elements, each decreasing in size
Tricolon diminuens
Combination of three elements, each increasing in size
Tricolon crescens
Applying animal characteristics to humans or gods
Zoomorphism
