Rhetorical Terms Flashcards
Summer
Abstract
Refers to language that describes concepts (love, peace, inequality etc.) rather than concrete images
Allusion
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.
Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. Ex: He was destined to fail; he always flew too close to the sun. (An allusion to the Greek myth of Icarus.)
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.
An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. Ex: Getting politicians to agree is like herding cats. (In other words…it’s very difficult!)
Anaphora
Repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginnings of successive clauses.
Always used deliberately, this pattern of repetition helps to establish a marked rhythm and often produces strong emotional effects by emphasizing ideas. Ex: We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans… (Winston Churchill)
Anecdote
A story or brief episode told by the writer or character in order to illustrate a point
Antithesis
The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, most often in parallel structure.
The contrast may be in words or in ideas or both. When used well, antithesis can be very effective, even witty. Ex: That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. (Neil Armstrong)
Antecedant
the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.
Claim
The central argumentative idea of a given text.
A claim must be arguable and defensible with specific, concrete evidence, and cannot merely be a statement of fact.
Clause
A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.
An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause.
Connotation
The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.
Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes. Ex: the connotation of the word “knife” might be fear, violence, anger, foreboding, etc.
Denotation
The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.
Ex: the denotation of a knife would be a tool used to cut.
Diction
Refers to a writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
Be able to describe an author’s diction (ex: formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways diction can complement an author’s purpose – never just say “the writer uses diction” (that’s like saying the writer uses words!). Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author’s style.
Exposition
background information presented in a literary work
Extended metaphor
a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit.
An extended metaphor is developed throughout a piece of writing.
Figurative Language
The generic term for any artful deviation from the ordinary mode of speaking or writing.
(Ex: metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, and many others). The general thinking is that we are more likely to be persuaded by rhetoric that is interesting, even artful, rather than mundane.
Imagery
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.
On a physical level, imagery uses terms related to the five senses: visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory. On a broader and deeper level, however, one image can represent more than one thing. Ex: It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions… (1984)
Irony
The expression of one’s meaning using language that normally signifies the opposite, generally to humorous or emphatic effect.
An ironic situation is one which is contrary to what is expected. (Ex: In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet lies in a tomb and Romeo expects her to be dead, though she is in fact asleep and merely seems to be dead)
Juxtaposition
When two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side in a text for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.
Ex: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness… (A Tale of Two Cities)
Line of Reasoning
The logical sequence of ideas and claims/evidence through which an argumentative position is developed and defended.
Metaphor
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.
Metaphorical language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful. Ex: With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. (Martin Luther King)
Logical Fallacy
a mistake in reasoning.
Logical fallacies often sound, on the surface, like convincing arguments, but on closer examination do not make logical sense.
Motif
The repetition or variations of an image or idea in a word used to develop theme or characters
Paradox
An apparently contradictory statement or idea that nevertheless contains a measure of truth. A situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.
Ex: Whoever loses his life, shall find it. (Matthew, 16:25)
Parallel Structure / Parallelism
Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
(This basic principle demands that equivalent things be set forth in coordinate grammatical structures: nouns with nouns, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, adverb clauses with adverb clauses, etc.) Ex: So Janie waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time. But when the pollen again gilded the sun and sifted down on the world she began to stand around the gate and expect things. (Their Eyes Were Watching God)
