Rhetorical Devices and Situation Flashcards
Tone
The accumulated and implied attitude toward the subject reached by analyzing diction, detail, syntax, and all other figurative language elements
Tone Shift
Because tone radiates from the author through a speaker (s) or narrator(s) and then to the reader. a tone shift indicates a shift in attitude about the subject. A tone shift may be the result of a change in speaker, subject, audiences or intention The shift may indicate irony a deeper and more complex understanding of the topic a new way of addressing the topic
Subject
Other than the general topic identify the central thesis of the work in one clear declarative thesis statement
Writer or Speaker
Persona of the work : address historical and or cultural context and their effect or influence
Occasion
Formal informal and any details that would affect the purpose
Audience
Direct and indirect or primary and secondary (analyze both because they are usually there)
Purpose or intention
To persuade, entertain, inform etc or usually a combination
Diction
author’s word choice
anecdote
a brief story or tale
persona
role taken on by speaker or author
aphorism
concise statement designed to make a point or illustrate a commonly held belief
contradiction
a direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency
syllogism
a form of reasoning in which two premises are made and a conclusion is drawn from them
premise
a proposition agreed upon as a basis for argument
satire
a style used to make fun of or ridicule a human vice or weakness in order to create social change
colloquialism (colloquial language)
ordinary language; the vernacular
litote
form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis and intensity
irony
situational: what happens is the opposite of what is expected
verbal: what is is said is the opposite of what is meant
hyperbole
exaggeration to emphasize
metaphor
an indirect comparison
paradox
a statement that appears contradictory but, in fact, has some truth
alliteration
repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words; effect is to increase memory retention, add emphasis and/or to create a rhythm
euphemism
an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or harsh
oxymoron
contradiction; two contradictory terms or ideas used together
metonymy
designation of one thing with something closely associated with it (crown for royalty; the man when referring to the government)
imagery
sight, sound, touch, taste, smell; allows reader to more fully participate in the work with images and experiences that they can tie to directly or indirectly; typically an emotional appeal
simile
an explicit comparison between two unlike things with the use of “like” or “as”
analogy
a comparison between two things in which the more complex is explained in terms of the more simple
ambiguity
the expression of an idea in such a way that more than one meaning is suggested; multiple meanings
symbol
a person, place, object, or event that stands for itself and something beyond itself; something concrete that represents something abstract; connected to theme; a type of figurative language
logical fallacy
faulty logic; mistaken belief based on unsound argument; failure in reasoning
warrant
the principle, provision or chain of reasoning that connects the grounds/reason to the claim
grounds
data; evidence on which to base argument
claim
a statement that must be proven true
appeal to authority or expert testimony
citation of information from people recognized for their special knowledge of a subject for the purpose of strengthening an author’s argument; may become a type of fallacy; if A is claimed to be an authority on a subject, A makes a claim about that subject, therefore it is true (even though the authority may be be false)
