Rhetorical Vocab Pt. 1 Flashcards
Leaves out a conjunction between a list for effect
asyndeton
It takes an important word in a statement from anywhere in the statement and repeats it again.
Conduplicatio
Intentionally giving a lesser description
Understatement
Extreme Exaggeration
hyperbole
contrasting any of the parts of a statement
antithesis
hypophora
asking a question and then answering it
rhetorical question
asking a question and the answer is implied
procatalepsis
stating something and then objecting to the statement as if the speaker anticipates the audience’s concerns
allusion
a reference to a well-known event, place, or person
eponym
referring to a specific famous person to compare his or her attributes to someone else.
exemplum
providing the reader an example to prove your point
anadiplosis
takes the last word of a sentence or phrase and repeats next to the beginning of the next sentence or phrase
aphorism
a short statement that gives an observation about life
idiom
a statement that makes no literal sense but has a meaning you understand
paradox
a statement that seems self-contradictory but later reveals a truth
anecote
a brief story meant to prove a point
personification
giving things human characteristics
aporia
a device a writer uses to express doubt about an idea; it can also be used to show the many sides of an argument
amplification
writers repeat something they just said while adding more detail
parataxis
a series of clauses without correct punctuation
Synecdoche
using a part of something instead of referring to the whole
metonymy
referring to something closely related to the actual object, person, or thing
hyperbaton
arrange words in a sentence in an unexpected order (word inversion)
Transcendentalism
A 19th-century idealistic philosophical and social movement that taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity
Romanticism
an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1840. The movement valued feeling over reason
zeugma
a device in which unexpected items in a sentence are linked together by shared words.
didactic
its primary goal is to teach the reader a lesson
genre
type or kind
motif
recurring images, symbols, themes, or characters
Denotation
a word’s literal meaning
Connotation
the association evoked by words beyond its literal meaning. It reflects broad cultural associations (ethos)
Logos
rhetorical appeal focusing on logic
ethos
rhetorical appeal focusing on ethics (what is accepted among people who live in same time and place)
pathos
rhetorical appeal focusing on emotions
allegory
type of narrative that has two levels of meaning: surface and deeper
ambiguity
result of something being stated in such a way that its meaning cannot be determined definitely
Syntax
the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language
linguistics
the science of language the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language. The study of the patterns of formation of sentences and phrases from words. the rules or patterns so studied: English Syntax
dissemination
as in “of ideas” to scatter; to disperse or spread
jargon
language used by a particular group (teachers saying we are giving a TLI or a Chunk Test or referring to an “AYP”
Discourse
- thoughts, statements, or dialogue of individuals especially characters in a literary work.
- the language in which a subject or area of knowledge is discussed
catharsis (noun)
cathartic (adj)
the emotional effect a drama has on its audience/the purging of emotions or relieving emotional tensions especially through certain kinds of art like drama and music
epiphany
insight or revelation gained when one suddenly understands
epitaph
an inscription on a tomb to commemorate the deceased
sententia
fancy term for a quotation of life saying
maxim
wise saying
analogy
a comparison of the similar characteristics of two unlike things
antagonist
character who opposes protagonist
apostrophe
addressing or speaking to some abstract quality or non-human entity
archetype
story or pattern repeated from generation to generation
assonance
repetition of vowel sounds
colloquial
language that is informal or familiar to a group of people
consonance
where a poet repeats the identical consonant sounds typically in the last syllable of words
doppelganger
a German phrase that asserts that for each person there exists an exact replica, a shadow image.
elegy
a poem that reflects upon death
enjambment
occurs when a poet continues the grammatical sentence into the next line
epanalepsis
repetition of the beginning at the end of a clause or sentence
hubris
a Greek term that means excessive pride
juxtaposition
the placement of items close together often for purposes of contrasting or comparison
stance
attitude author has toward the audience
Chiasmus (inverted parallelism)
a figure of speech in which a grammatical structure is repeated but in inverse order/a reversal of ideas expressed in parallel clauses or phrases
situational irony
contrast between what you think will happen and what actually happens
dramatic irony
the audience knows something the characters do not
verbal irony
contrast between what is stated and what is meant
pedantic
overly concerned in one’s learning
euphemism
substitution of words that sounds not as harsh
anachronism
something or someone not in correct time period
colloquialism
informal speech of expression “I wasn’t born yesterday
invective
insulting or abusive words or expressions
discernible
distinguishable
ambiguity
unclear; doubtful
nostalgic
sentimental yearning for the happiness felt in a former time, place or situation.
simile
comparing two things to clarify how they are alike… uses words like or as
metaphor
comparing two things without using like or as
