Rhetorical Terms Flashcards
Ad hominem
Attack on the person rather than on the opponent’s ideas
Abstract
Language that describes concepts rather than concrete images
Allegory
Writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story(may be a moral)
Alliteration
Repetition of constant sounds at the beginning of words.
Allusion
Reference to a well known person, place, or thing from literature/history.
Analogy
Comparison of two similar but different things, to clarify and action or a relationship.
Anaphora
Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row.
Anecdote
Short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effect or to make a point.
Annotation
Notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data.
Antithesis
Presentation of two contrasting images. Ideas are based by word, phrase.
Aphorism
Short witty statement of a principle or a truth about life.
Apostrophe
The device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing (usually in poetry)
Argumentation
To prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments.
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds between different consonants
Asyndeton
Commas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words
Cacophony
Harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used in poetry/prose
Caricature
Writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person’s appearance.
Colloquialism
Word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation
Coherence
Piece of writing in which all parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme, or organizing principle
Concrete language
Describes specific, observable things, people, or places, rather than ideas or qualities.
Connotation
Implied or suggested meaning of a word because of its association in the reader’s mind
Consonance
Repetition of identical constant sounds w/in 2 or more words in close proximity
Conundrum
A riddle whose answer is or involves a pun
Deduction
Process of moving from a general rule to a specific example
Denotation
Literal meaning of a word
Description
The picturing of words of something or someone through detailed (four modes of discourse)
Diction
Word choice, an element of style, creates tone, attitude or style.
Didactic
Purpose to instruct or to teach
Discourse
Spoken or written language, including literary works
Dissonance
Harsh or grating sounds that do not go together to make
Dramatic irony
When the reader is aware of inconsistency b/w a character’s perception of a situation or truth.
Dynamic character
A character who changes significantly during the course of a story.
Emotional appeal
When writer appeals to readers emotions. (Often through pathos)
Epigraph
Use of quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme.
Ethical appeal
When writer tries to persuade the audience to respect or believe him based on a presentation of image of self through text.
Euphemism
More pleasant way of saying something
Euphony
Harmonious sounds used In poetry, opposite or cacophony.
Example
An individual instance taken to be representative or general pattern.
Explication
Art of interpreting or discovering meaning of a text, involved close reading or special attention to text
Exposition
Immediate revelation to the audience of the setting and other background. (One of 4 modes of discourse)
Extended metaphor
A sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit
False analogy
When two cases are not sufficiently parallel to lead leaders to accept a claim of of connection through them.
Figurative language
Language that contains figures of speech such as similes or metaphors
Figures of speech
Expressions such as metaphors , similes and personification that make imaginative.
Foil
Character who points out qualities or characteristics of another character
Foreshadowing
The use of a hint or clue to suggest a larger event that occurs late in the work
Freight train
Sentence consisting of three or more very short independent clauses joined by conjunctions.
Generalization
When writer bases a claim upon an isolated example or asserts that the claim is certain rather than probable.
Genre
Type of literary work such as a novel or poem
Hubris
The excessive pride of ambition that leads a tragic hero to disregard warnings of impending doom.
Humor
Anything that causes laughter or amusement
Induction
The process that moves from a given series of specifics to a generalization.
Influence
A conclusion one can draw from presented details
Interior monologue
Writing that records the conversation inside character’s head
Invective
A verbally abusive attack
Inversion
The order of elements in a sentence or phrase
Jargon
The specific language of a profession or group
Polysyndeton
Sentence which uses and or another another conjunction( with no commas) to separate the items In a series
Red herring
When a writer raises an irrelevant issue to draw attention away from the real issue.
Rhetoric
The art of effective communication, especially persuasive discourse
Satire
A work that reveals critical attitude towards some elements of human behavior by portraying it in an extreme way.
Stactic character
Character who does not change significantly throughout the course of the story
Straw man
Writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak
Subjectivity
A personal presentation of events and characters influenced by the authors opinions
Syllogism
Form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is made
