Syntax Flashcards
Inversion
Reversal of normal word order
Function: re-positioning a part of speech can emphasize or underscore
Juxtaposition
Placement of two things side by side for emphasis
Function: implies correlation through comparison/contrast or may address varying viewpoints.
Anadiplosis
Figure that builds one thought on top of another by taking the last word of a clause and using it to begin the next clause.
Function: Creates emphasis/sense of climax
Anaphora
Repeats the first word in succeeding phrases or clauses.
Function: Works well in an emotional address to build a sense of climax
Antimetabole
Repetition of words in an inverted order
Function: emphasizes repeated words, sharpens a contrast
Antithesis
Parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas
Function: make a point about the contrasts
Appositive
Word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun
Function: provides an extra/a concise description
Asyndeton
Leaves out conjunctions in a list or between clauses
Function: It can clarify, give the impression of spontaneity, create a fast pace, and invite the audience to continue the list
Polysyndeton
Figure that links clauses with a repeated conjunction
Function: Often seen in Bible and conveys urgency and power
Epistrophe
Same word or phrase is repeated at the end of multiple clauses or sentences
Function: Repetition at the end emphasizes a final idea, which becomes a kind of “punctuation mark”
Parallelism
Use of the same general structure to provide links
Function: maintains equal importance of ideas
Conditional
Use of “if…then” clause
Function: suggests cause and effect; but watch that the cause and effect relationship is logical and not a slippery slope fallacy
Negative Definition
Technique that defines by explaining what something is NOT; it is generally followed up with an actual definition of what something is.
