Rhetorical Devices Flashcards
Allusion
Definition: Reference to a generally famous person, place, or thing
Effect: Evoke an atmosphere/period in history
Alliteration
Definition: Repetition of same initial consonant sound or any vowel sound
Effect: Beauty of sound & emphasis
Ambiguity
Definition: When a word or passage can be understand two ways
Effect: Irony/humour or suggesting complexity of experience
Antithesis
Definition: Balance of two opposite/contrasting words, phrases, clauses
Effect: Development by contrast
“God is love but what a devil love is”
Assonance
Definition: Repetition of internal vowel sounds
Effect: Beauty of sound & emphasis
Balance
Definition: Sentence with 2 distinct halves of same length & importance
Effect: Powerful structure?
Clause
Definition: Contains subject & predicament.
Independent stands on its own & dependent does not.
Colloquial
Definition: Language that appears more in speech than in writing (mofo)
Effect: Entertaining, flavourful, informal
Complex Sentence
Definition: Sentence with independent clause & at least one dependant clause
Connotation
Definition: Feelings & attitudes aroused by a word
Effect: Sheds negative or positive light on a certain subject
Consonance
Definition: Repetition of internal consonant sounds
Effect: Harmonious
Cumulative Sentence
Definition: Starts with general statement, then expands into a series of particulars
Effect: A means of description & imagery
Figure of speech
Definition: Includes metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration, assonance, irony, metonymy
Effect: Stylistic rather than straightforward or plain
Imagery
Definition: Appeal to touch, smell, taste, hearing & sight constructed with words
Effect: Reader can visualize what author is seeing or feeling etc
Interrupted Movement
Definition: Used in formal writing where a normal word order is interrupted (Jaidyn, as we have seen, has curly hair) Interrupted by a clause
Effect: Variation on typical sentence structure
Irony
Definition: Use of words to mean something other than on the surface
Effect: Creates surprise, emphasis
Metaphor
Definition: Implied comparison between 2 things that seem different
Effect: Vivid, makes a clear point
Parallel Structure
Definition: Two or more words/phrases are related in the same way to the same word/words.
Effect: Sustain a mood, suggest rapid action
Periodic Sentence
Definition: Sentence that delays expression of a complete thought until the end
Effect: Emphasis through sentence structure, variation
Personification
Definition: Ideas, animals or things are given human attribute
Effect: Relate on a human level, emphasizes importance
Symbol
Definition: Exists as something tangible but also as something greater than itself - ideal, belief.
Effect: Like metaphor, makes a clear point
Tone
Definition: Attitude toward subject & reader
Effect: Desired effect on reader expressed through tone
Understatement
Definition: Play down something of importance
Effect: Calls attention to the subject=emphasis
