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ap lang rhet. terms
rhetorical terms from the handbook for the quiz
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| connotation | an idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing |
| denotation | the literal definition of a word |
| pedantic | characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules |
| simple | pure, easy, plain, basic |
| monosyllabic | one syllable |
| polysyllabic | more than one syllable |
| euphonious | pleasing or agreeable to the ear |
| cacophonic | discordant, unpleasant sounding, jarring |
| literal | what you see |
| figurative | what you get from language, tone, symbol, etc. |
| active | subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action rather than a state of being |
| passive | subject is the object of the action or the effect of the verb |
| overstated | exaggerated |
| understated | expressed with restraint, lack of emphasis |
| colloquial | informal, conversational |
| formal | formal, proper language |
| non-standard slang/jargon | not adhering to the standard, usually associated with a language variety used by uneducated speakers or socially disfavored groups |
| alliteration | the recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The repetition is usually limited to two words |
| onomatopoeia | the use of words which in their pronunciation suggest their meaning. “Hiss,” for example, when spoken is intended to resemble to sound of steam or of a snake |
| basic order | subject + verb + object |
| interrupted order | a sentence that is interrupted by a parenthetical aside |
| inverted order | begin with a part of speech other than the subject. These inverted sentence patterns are used to either delay revealing what the sentence is about, create tension/suspense, or connect ideas between sentences more clearly |
| listing order | a sentence with multiple phrases that create a list |
| cumulative/loose order | begins with subject and verb and adds modifying elements at end |
| periodic order | opens with modifiers, withholds subject and verb until the end |
| parallelism - antithesis | establishing a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure |
| parallelism - chiasmus | a crossing parallelism, where the second part of a grammatical construction is balanced or paralleled by the first part, only in reverse order |
| parallelism - balanced | expressing parallel or like ideas—often compound |
| declarative sentence | a declarative sentence does exactly what its name implies: it “declares” or states something |
| imperative sentence | commands, requests, or instructs. The subject is most often you—unstated, but understood |
| exclamatory sentence | expresses strong emotion |
| interrogative sentence | “interrogates”—it asks a question |
| simple sentence | contains a least one subject and at least one predicate; it can stand alone because it expresses a complete thought |
| compound sentence | contains two or more independent clauses |
| complex sentence | contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses |
| compound-complex sentence | contains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses |
| ellipsis | a rhetorical figure in which one or more words are omitted |
| asyndeton | the omission of a conjunction from a list. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account |
| anadiplosis | a rhetorical trope formed by repeating the last word of one phrase, clause or sentence at or very near the beginning of the next. It can be generated in series for the sake of beauty or to give a sense of logical progression |
| anaphora | repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences |
| epistrophe | the repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Counterpart to anaphora |
| polysyndeton | the use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause. Structural opposite of asyndeton. The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton, however, often shares with that of asyndeton a feeling of multiplicity, energetic enumeration, and building up |
| parenthetical aside | consists of a word, phrase, or whole sentence inserted as an aside in the middle of another sentence |
| colon | the punctuation mark (:) used to divide distinct but related sentence components such as clauses in which the second elaborates on the first, or to introduce a list, quotation, or speech |
| semi-colon | a punctuation mark (;) which connects two independent parts of a sentence |
| dashes | a punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical material |
| allegory | a form of extended metaphor in which objects and people in a narrative, either in prose or verse, are equated with meanings outside the narrative itself. Many works have allegories or are partially allegorical, but not many are entirely allegorical |
| autobiography | the biography of a person written by that person |
| biography | an account of a person’s life as written or told by another |
| chronicle | an extended account of historical events without interpretation or comment |
| diary | a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations |
| essay | a short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author; analytic or interpretive |
| fiction | a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact |
| non-fiction | a work that draws its information from history or fact, rather than the imagination |
| parody | a literary form in which the style of an author or particular work is mocked in its style for the sake of comic effect |
| prose | writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech (any fiction or nonfiction is prose) |
| satire | a literary work which exposes and ridicules human vices or folly. Historically perceived as tending toward didacticism, it is usually intended as a moral criticism directed against the injustice of social wrongs |
| sermon | an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy |
| stream-of-consciousness | a technique that records the multifarious thoughts and feelings of a character without regard to logical or narrative sequence. The writer attempts to reflect all external and internal forces, influencing a character's psychology at a single moment |
| allusion | an indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place or artistic work, the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader’s familiarity with what is thus mentioned |
| ambiguity | something of doubtful meaning; an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context, may have more than one meaning |
| anachronism | the representation of someone as existing or something as happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order |
| aphorism | a brief statement which expresses an observation on life, usually intended as a wise observation |
| audience | the people the author is speaking to (listeners, readers, onlookers) |
| invective | abuse (tongue-lashing, diatribe, condemnation) |
| juxtaposition | placing two things side by side, usually to show contrast |
| malapropism | an incorrect usage of a word, usually with comic effect |
| rhetorical question | a question posed by the speaker or writer not to seek an answer but instead to affirm or deny a point simply by asking a question about it |
| sensory detail | an item used to appeal to the sense (sight, taste, touch, etc.) |
| shift | a general term in linguistics for any slight alteration in a word’s meaning, or the creation of an entirely new words by changing the use of an expression |
| tone | the writer’s attitude toward his reader and his subject; his mood or moral view. A writer can be formal, informal, playful, ironic, and especially, optimistic or pessimistic |
| point of view | a way the events of a story are conveyed to the reader, it is the “vantage point” from which the narrative is passed from author to the reader. There are three types: first person, third person omniscient, and third person limited |
| theme-thesis | the message conveyed by a literary work |
| voice | the textual features, such as diction and sentence structure, that convey a writer’s or speaker’s persona |
| analogy | the comparison of two alike things for the purpose of explaining or clarifying a difficult idea/object by showing how the idea or object is similar to some familiar one. Analogies are longer than similes since they are often used to explain the abstract |
| apostrophe | the direct address of a person or personified thing, either present or absent. Its most common purpose in prose is to give vent to or display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back |
| cliché | an expression so often used that its original power has been drained away |
| conceit | an elaborate, usually intellectually ingenious poetic comparison or image, such as an analogy or metaphor in which, say a beloved is compared to a ship, planet, etc. |
| epithet | an adjective or adjective phrases appropriately qualifying a subject (noun) by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject |
| euphemism | the expression of an unpleasant or embarrassing notion by a more inoffensive substitute |
| hyperbole | exaggeration used for emphasis. Hyperbole can be used to heighten effect, to catalyze recognition, or to create a humorous perception |
| imagery | the collection of images within a literary work. Used to evoke atmosphere, mood, tension |
| verbal irony | the contrast is between the literal meaning of what is said and what is meant |
| situational irony | the result of an action is the reverse of what the actor expected |
| extended metaphor | a metaphor which is drawn-out beyond the usual word or phrase to extend throughout a stanza or an entire poem, usually by using multiple comparisons between the unlike objects or ideas |
| metonymy | another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche, in which the thing chosen for the metaphorical image is closely associated with (but not an actual part of) the subject with which it is to be compared |
| oxymoron | a paradox reduced to two words, usually in an adjective-noun (“eloquent silence”) or adverb adjective (“inertly strong”) relationship, and is used for effect, to emphasize contrasts, incongruities, hypocrisy, or simply the complex nature of reality |
| paradox | a statement that seems untrue on the surface but is true nevertheless |
| personification | the metaphorical representation of an animal or inanimate object as having human attributes—attributes of form, character, feelings, behavior, and so on. As the name implies, a thing or idea is treated as a person |
| pun | a play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words |
| simile | a figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by “like” or “as” |
| synaesthesia | a condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color. The descriptions of one kind of sense impression by using words that normally describe another |
| synecdoche | a figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole or the whole for a part |
| understatement | expressing an idea with less emphasis or in a lesser degree than is the actual case. The opposite of hyperbole. Understatement is employed for ironic emphasis |
| argument | a way of reasoning where a subject is proved correct/incorrect |
| ethos (ethical) | a rhetorical appeal to an audience based on the speaker/writer's credibility |
| pathos (emotion) | the emotional appeal to an audience in an argument |
| logos (rational) | rhetorical appeals based on logic or reasoning |
| claim | to make an assertion; to state as true |
| deductive reasoning (syllogism) | reasoning that utilizes elements of persuasion by asserting a claim; consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion |
| inductive reasoning | reasoning that begins by citing a number of specific instances or examples and then shows how collectively they constitute a general principle |
| evidence/data | support from a claim/assertion |
| warrant | an assumption that there is a connection between evidence and claim |
| ad hominem argument | an attack on another person instead of their point of view |
| begging the question | the situation that results when a writer or speaker constructs an argument on an assumption that the audience does not accept |
| doubtful authority | the authority is not an expert, their colleagues disagree, or the reference to the authority is out of context of the situation |
| either/or reasoning | an argument that something complex can be looked at in only two different ways |
| false analogy | comparing two things that are irrelevant, do not pose a valid comparison |
| hasty generalization | not enough support for the inductive reasoning used |
| circular argument | this restates the argument rather than actually proving it |
| slippery slope | this is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, B and C will happen all the way to Z, which equates A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either |
| non-sequitur | a conclusion that had no visible connection to the support for the claim |
| oversimplification | reducing an idea too much so it loses the point trying to be made |
| expository | informs, instructs or presents ideas and general truths |
| classification | identifies the subject as part of a larger group with shared features |
| cause and effect | arguing from the presence/absence of the cause to the (non) existence of the result |
| comparison/contrast | the subject is shown more clearly by pointing out similarities or differences |
| definition | places the subject in a group and then differentiates the subject from other sections of the group |
| analysis | the discussion of a subject based on content and style |
| description | depicts images verbally in space and time arranges those images in a logical pattern |
| narration | organizes the events or actions in time or relates them in space. Tells what happened, when it happened, and where it happened |
| persuasion | convinces an audience by proving or refuting a point of view using induction or deduction |
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