Rhetorical terms Flashcards
Allegory
A narrative or prose in which the literal elements consistently point to a parallel sequence of ideas, values, realities, virtues, or other recognizable or political issues.
Alliteration
The repetition of a consonant sound, especially initial consonants in two more neighboring words.
Allusion
A brief, sometimes indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or prior text, be it fictitious or actual.
Ambiguity
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.
Anaphora
One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines.
Anecdote
A short narrative usually consisting of a single event or episode.
Antithesis
Words, phrases, clauses or sentences set in deliberate contrast to one another.
Apostrophe
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.
Asyndeton
Consists if omitting conjuctions between words, phrases, or clauses. This can give the effect of of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account.
Chiasmus
A syntactical pattern in which the words or parts of speech in one part of a sentence are reversed in the other part.
Colloquialism
The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.
Diction
Word choice or vocabulary.
Didactic
Means teaching. Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching of moral or ethical principles.
Enumeratio
Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences.
Euphemism
A more agreeable substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.
Extended Metaphor
A metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout the work.
Homily
This term literally means sermon, but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.
Hypophora
Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions is asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker; raising and responding to
one´s own questions.
Imagery
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.
