Rhetoric Flashcards
Polyptoton [pol-up-toe-ton]
The is of one word as different parts of speech or in different grammatical forms. The term applies wherever words derived from the same root (such as wretched and wretchedness) are used, but other sources use the related antanaclasis in examples when the same word is repeated but in a different sense.
Example: Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle: I am no traitors uncle; and that word ‘grace’, In an ungracious mouth is but profane.
Antithesis [an-tith-uh-sis]
The figure of antithesis describes the use of two opposites for contrasting effect.
The classic example: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Merism [mer-is-uhm]
Merism is where a single thing is referred to by an enumeration of several of its parts, or a list of several synonyms for the same thing.
Example:
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them.
Blazon
Blazon is an extension of “merism”, the dismemberment of the loved one. The term is applied to a tradition of poetry that praised a woman by singing out different parts of her body and finding appropriate metaphors to compare them with.
Synesthesia [sin-uh s-thee-zhuh]
This device is where one senses is described in terms of another.
Example:
“Music that stinks to the ears”
Or
“Back to the region where the sun is silent”
Writers employ this device to be creative in communicating their ideas to the readers. It makes their ideas more vivid and adds more layers of meaning to a text for the readers’ pleasure. By blending different senses, writers make their works more interesting and appealing.
Aposiopesis [ap-uh-sahy-uh-pee-sis]
Aposiopesis is a figure of speech wherein a sentence is deliberately broken off and left unfinished, the ending to be supplies by the imagination, giving the impression of unwillingness or inability to continue.
Hyperbaton [hahy-pur-buh-ton]
This figure of speech describes an alteration of the logical order of the words in a sentence.
Example:
“Bird that never wert”
“You can not say, or guess, for you know only”
“Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall”
When hyperbaton is used properly in sentences, it can result in intriguing and complexed sentence structures.
Anadiplosis [an-uh-di-ploh-sis]
This figure describes the repetition of the last word of a preceding clause.
Example:
“We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh man not ashamed”
“What I present is what I remember of the letter, and what I remember of the letter I remember verbatim”
Anadiplosis repeats a word in quick succession in successive clauses in order to add emphasis to the main idea, as readers tend to focus more on the repetition of words and thereby on the idea emphasized upon.
Periodic Sentences
This figure describes a sentence that is not complete grammatically before the final clause or phrase.
Examples:
“To believe your own thoughts, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius.”
“Unprovided with original learning, uninformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved… To write a book”
Alliteration [uh-lit-uh-rey-shuh n]
Alliteration is the rhetorical device of repeating the sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words.
Example: Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, he bravely broached his boiling bloody breast.
Hypotaxis [hahy-puh-tak-sis]
Hypotaxis is defined as a grammatical arrangement of constructs that work in the same way, but they play unequal role in a sentence. It helps in defining the exact meaning of a clause.
Example:
“So sang a little clod of clay”
“Trodden with the cattle’s feet”
Writers use hypotaxis when they want to convey logical, casual or temporal relationships within the clause in a sentence. Hypotactic writing is used effectively as a device for arguments and persuasion. Also, it is used to express individual and related thoughts by using subordinate clauses. The subordinate clause help in amplifying a central idea. This style of writing helps in providing a great deal of information and background about the topic at hand.
Parataxis [par-uh-tak-sis]
Parataxis Is derived from a Greek word that means to place side by side. It is the art of placing together sentences, clauses, or phrases without a conjunctive word or words.
Examples:
“Hurry up, it’s getting late.”
“I came, I saw, I conquered .”
Paratactic sentences, clauses and phrases are useful in explaining a rapid sequence of thoughts in poetry and prose. They could evoke the feelings in a similar way as though they happened at once. It is a helpful device when describing a setting. In simple words, parataxis helps the readers to focus on a particular idea, thought, setting or emotion. Also, cultural theorists use it in cultural texts where a series of events are shown side by side.
Epizeuxis
Epizeuxis is derived from a Greek word epizeugnumi that means “fastening together”. It is defined as a rhetorical device in which the words or phrases are repeated in a quick succession after each other for emphasis. It is also called diacope.
Examples:
“And my poor fool is hanged! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more, Never, never, never, never!”
“My lady sweet, arise:
Arise, arise!”
The major function of epizeuxis is to create an appeal for the emotions of the readers—to hit them with a bang. It is employed to inspire, encourage and motivate the audience. Epizeuxis examples are found in literary writings as well as political speeches. As a literary device, it furnishes freshness to the texts and gives artistic effect to a piece. Apart from adding rhythm to the texts, epizeuxis makes the reading of the literary text pleasurable and memorable. Also, it helps in drawing the focus to a particular thought, idea and emotion through repetition.
Rhetorical Questions
The rhetorical question is a device where a question is stated to make a point, without requiring any answer because it is intended to be obvious.
Rhetorical questions, though almost needless or meaningless, seem a basic need of daily language. Some common examples of rhetorical questions from daily life are as follows.
“Who knows?”
“Are you stupid?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Ok?”
“Why not?”
Mostly, it is easy to spot a rhetorical question because of its position in the sentence. It occurs immediately after the comment made and states the opposite of it. The idea again is to make a point more prominent. Some rhetorical question examples are as follows. Keep in mind that they are also called tag questions if used in everyday conversation.
“It’s too hot today. Isn’t it?”
“The actors played the roles well. Didn’t they?”
Writers employ rhetorical questions for rhetorical effects and we cannot easily quantify the impact rendered by a rhetorical question. The idea becomes all the more powerful, and our interest is aroused to continue to read and enjoy the technical and aesthetic beauty that a rhetorical question generates. Moreover, it is a requirement in persuasive speeches.
Hendiadys [hen-dahy-uh-dis]
A figure in which a complex idea is expressed by two words connected by a copulative conjunction.
Example:
“To look with eyes and envy.” instead of “with envious eyes.”