Rhetorical Devices Flashcards
This deck is designed to introduce you to some new and familiar rhetorical devices which can be used to show diversity in the exams - enjoy! (P.S. Some of these are university terms - so it's not going to be easy)
Alliteration
the recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition can be juxtaposed (and then it is usually limited to two words): Yes, I have read that little bundle of pernicious prose, but I have no comment to make upon it.
Allusion
A short, informal reference to a famous person or event
Amplification
Involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it, in order to emphasise what may have been passed over
Anacoluthon
Finishing a sentence with a different grammatical structure to what it began: “And then the deep rumble from the explosion began to shake the very bones of–no one had ever felt anything like it. Be careful with these two devices because improperly used they can–well, I have cautioned you enough.”
Anadiplosis
Repeats the last word of a sentence/ phrase at or very near the beginning of the next sentence. Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,/ Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain . . . . –Philip Sidney
Analogy
Compares two things which are alike in several respects for the purpose of clarification
Anaphora
Repetition of the same word at the beginning of successive phrases
Antanagoge
Placing a good point next to a fault in order to reduce its impact
Parataxis
Writing successive independent clauses, with coordinating conjunctions or no conjunctions: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. –Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)
Antimetabole
Reversing the order of repeated words or phrases to intensify the final formulation. “Ask not what America can do for you, but for what you can do for America”
Antiphrasis
One word irony, established by context - “Tiny”, the fat man
Antithesis
Binary opposition
Apophasis
Asserts something by seemingly ignoring it “We will not bring up the matter of the budget deficit here”
Aporia
Expresses doubt about an idea or a conclusion
Aposiopesis
Stopping abruptly, leaving a sentence unfinished
Apostrophe
Interrupts the discussion or discourse and addresses directly a person or thing
Appositive
A noun next to another noun - Henry Jameson, the boss of the operation… the notorious feast, the picnic
Assonance
Similar successive sounding vowels
Asyndeton
consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses. Gives the effect of multiplicity - on his return, he received medals, honours, treasures, titles, fame
Catechresis
An extravagant implied metaphor using words in an alien way - I will speak daggers to her
Chiasmus
A reverse parallelism - where the second part of the sentence is balanced to the first part, but in reverse - so instead of unwillingly learned, the phrase would be learned unwillingly
Climax
Arranging words, clauses or sentences in the order of increasing importance
Conduplicatio
Resembles anadiplosis in the repetition of a preceding word, but repeats a key word from the last phrase, not necessarily the last word
Diacope
Repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis
Dirimens Copulatio
Mentioning a balancing or opposing fact to prevent the argument from being one sided or unqualified
Distinctio
An explicit reference to a particular meaning or to the various meanings of a word: “To make methanol for twenty-five cents a gallon is impossible; by “impossible” I mean currently beyond our technological capabilities.”
Enthymeme
An informally state syllogism which omits either one of the premises or the conclusion
Enumeratio
Detailing parts, causes, effects and consequences to make a point more forcibly
Epanalepsis
Repeats the beginning word of a clause or sentence at the end
Epistrophe
Forms the counterpart to anaphora, repetition comes at the end of a sentence
Epithet
An adjective or adjective phrase qualifying a subject
Epizeuxis
Repetition of one word - South America is lush, lush, lush
Eponym
Attributes a skill to a person or event - is he smart? He’s an Einstein
Exemplum
Citing an example, using an illustrative story, either true or fictitious
Sentential Adverb
A single word or short phrase used to lend emphasis to the words immediately proximate to the adverb
Hyperbaton
Several rhetorical devices involving departure from normal word order - “Such amaze”
Hyperbole
Deliberate exaggeration
Hypophora
Consists of raising one or more questions and then proceeding to answer them
Hypotaxis
Using subordination to show the relationship between clauses or phrases
Litotes
A particular form of understatement generated by denying the opposite or contrary of the word which otherwise would be used - heatwaves are not rare in summer
metabasis
Consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow - it is basically a transitional summary - STEVENS
Metanoia
Qualifies a statement by recalling it - Fido was the friendliest of all St. Bernards, nay of all dogs
Metaphor
Compares two things by speaking of one in terms of another
Metonymy
another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche - the orders came direct from the white house
Onomatopoeia
Words which sounds like a word
Oxymoron
Juxaposed words which are contradictory
