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Rhetorical Terms!
Sentence Structure / Trops
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Allusion | short, informal reference to a generally well-known place, person, event, etc. Most common types: Shakespearean, mythological, Biblical, historical |
| Analogy | an extended comparison between two unlike things (similar to metaphor/simile); usually a well-known thing is employed to explain something less familiar Ex: In the same way Islamic radicalism is one of the curses of our times, so is celebrity culture. |
| Apostrophe | direct address of a personified object or audience, this is a forceful emotional device (often found in informal writing) Ex: "Scuttle, scuttle little roach" |
| Irony | Contrast between what seems to be and what really is. There are 3 types: dramatic, situational, and verbal |
| Dramatic Irony | the reader or audience knows more about what is happening/is about to happen than the characters do (think end of Romeo and Juliet with poison) |
| Situtational Irony | an event is the opposite of what is expected (lottery winners go bankrupt 2 years later) |
| Verbal Irony | words mean the opposite of what is intended ("Great weather, right?" when there is the 3rd consecutive weekend snowstorm) |
| Kairos | rhetorical art of seizing the occasion, covering both timing and the appropriate medium Ex: Tony Blair's speech after Diana's death in which he called her "The People's Princess" |
| Metaphor | figure that makes a compariosn without using like or as. It's different from analogy in that it usually describes with vivid language rather than try to explain something unfamiliar Ex: Dr King was truly a king among men |
| Metonymy | reference to something closely related to the actual subject so standing in for the object itself Ex: The throne was overjoyed. (throne for queen) Ex: Marv has a good head (head for brain) |
| Paradox | an impossible pair that does point to a truth Ex: "We had to destroy the village in order to save it" |
| Synecdoche | use of a part of something to represent the whole (very close to metonymy) Ex: The captain asked for all hands on deck (hands for crew) Ex: A fleet of 100 sails. (sails for ships) |
| Understatement | force of description is less than one might expect. This can emphasize an idea, calm a reader, highlight an extreme nature, or add humor. Ex: One nuclear bomb can really ruin a whole day. |
| Syntax | sentence structure |
| Inversion | reversal of normal word order EX: Blessed are the pure in heart Function: repositioning a part of speech can emphasize or underscore |
| Juxtaposition | placement of two things side by side for emphasis; implies correlation through comparison/contrast or may address varying viewpoints |
| Juxtaposition (example) | With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. |
| 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; creates emphasis/sense of climax |
| Anadiplosis (example) | In education we find the measure of our own ignorance; in ignorance we find the beginning of wisdom. |
| Anaphora | repeats the first word in succeeding phrases or clauses; works well in an emotional address to build a sense of climax; easy for audience to follow |
| Anaphora (example) | We shall go on o the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans... |
| Antimetabole | repetition of words in an inverted order (similar to chiasmus); emphasizes repeated words, sharpens a contrast |
| Antimetabole (example) | Eat to live, not eat to live. |
| Antithesis | parallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas; make a point about the contrasts |
| Antithesis (example) | That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" |
| Appositive | word or phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun; provides an extra/concise description |
| Appositive (example) | The "City of Brotherly Love," Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell. |
| Asyndeton | leaves out conjunctions in a list or between clauses; it can clarify, give the impression of spontaneity, create a fast pace, and invite the audience to continue the list; sense of urgency |
| Asyndeton (example) | He was tall, dark, handsome |
| Polysyndeton | figure that links clauses with a repeated conjunction; this is often seen in the bible and conveys urgency and power |
| Polysyndeton (example) | They read and studied and wrote and drilled. I laughed and played and talked and flunked. |
| Epanalepsis | same word or phrase is found both in the beginning and at the end of a sentence/sentences; often employed in a kind of "yes, but" construction to est common ground or admit a truth and then to demonstrate how said truth relates to a more important context |
| Epanalepsis (example) | The theory sounds all wrong; but if the machine works, we cannot worry about theory. |
| Epistrophe | same word of phrase is repeated at the end of multiple clauses or sentences; repetition at the end emphasizes a final idea, which becomes a kind of punctuation mark; highlights term |
| Epistrophe (example) | The cars do not sell because the engineering is inferior, the quality of materials is inferior, and the workmanship is inferior |
| Parallelism | use of the same general structure to provide links; maintains equal importance of ideas |
| Parallelism (example) | The manor - designed for beauty and grace, built for durability and strength, and located for privacy and safety - was the ideal home for those three children. |
| Declarative | gives information / explains what's going on; can be either neutral or matter of fact Ex: Boston offers a subways system that is easy to navigate |
| Exclamatory | provides emotion/emphasis; expresses a wish, desire, a feeling, a request,etc Ex: I can't believe I got into Harvard! |
| Imperative | makes a command (often "you" is implied); clarifies a writer's/speaker's position and desired outcome Ex: Stop talking during the exam. |
| Balanced/Parallel Sentence | subordinate or independent clauses are in the same grammatical form, creating rhythm; economical, provides subtle connections among words/phrases BUT can be wordy or formal and so not suited for urgency |
| Balance/Parallel Sentence (example) | The ambition of the novice is to acquire the Literary Language; the stuggle of the adept is to get rid of it |
| Centered Sentence | main clause is between subordinate material; helps to order ideas in long or complicated material |
| Centered Sentence (example) | Since the USA PATRIOT ACT was passed in Oct. 2011, the FBI has been reading over shoulders by visiting libraries across the US. |
| Cumulative / Loose sentence | an independent clause comes first, then is followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail; gives its secret (loose) at the beginning and reflects the way we speak; putting things first |
| Cumulative / Loose sentence (example) | A harmful economic system develops when a worker cannot get a job that pays enough to support a family. |
| Frieght train sentence | couples short, independent clauses in link ideas and add immediacy; links a series of ideas with immediacy BUT relationships among ideas may be unequally linked or unclear in cause and effect (often seen in stream of conscience) |
| FT sentence (example) | And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it. |
| Hortative sentence | urges or strongly encourages; it's like imperative but is gentler by making more of a request or suggestion than a demand |
| Hortative sentence (example) | You might want to consider coming to the program orientation to meet other freshmen. |
| Periodic sentence | one that builds toward and ends with the main clause; delays the climax for an emphatic effect BUT too long a delay can be confusing |
| Periodic sentence (example) | If the voters pass the measure, then the new park will be built downtown. |
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