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53 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Alliteration
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the recurrence of inital consonant sounds. The repetition cn be juxtaposed (then limited to 2 words)
*Ah, what a delicious day! |
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Allusion
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short, informal reference to a famous person or event.
*You must borrow me Gargantua's mouth first. 'Tis a word too great for any mouth of this age's size. |
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Anadiplosis
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repeats the las word of one phrase, clause or sentence at or near the beginning of the next. Can be generated in series.
*Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,/ Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain... |
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Amplification
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repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to it to emphasize what might be passed over. Allows you to call attention to a word or an idea.
*He showed a rather simple taste, a taste for good art, good food, and good friends. |
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Analogy
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compares 2 things which are alike in several respects for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea by showing how the idea is similar to a familiar one.
*You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one. You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table. It is not your trade to make tables. --Samuel Johnson |
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Anaphora
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is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences, commonly in conjunction with climax and with parallelism.
*To think on death it is a misery,/ To think on life it is a vanity;/ To think on the world verily it is,/ To think that here man hath no perfect bliss. -Peacham |
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Antithesis
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establishes a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure. The linking of opposites.
*That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. --Neil Armstrong |
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Antimetebole
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Reversing the order of repeated words or phrases to intensify the final formulation, to present alternatives, or to show contrast.
*Can take the girl out of the honky-tonk, but you can't take the honky-tonk outta the girl. |
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Aporia
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expresses doubt about an idea or conclusion. Among its several uses are the suggesting of alternatives without making a commitment to either or any.
*I am not sure whether to side with those who say that higher taxes reduce inflation or with those who say that higher taxes increase inflation. |
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Assonance
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similar vowel sounds repeated in successive or proximate words containing different consonants.
*A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. --Matthew 5:14b |
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Asyndeton
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Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account.
*He was a winner, a hero |
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Cacophony
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Harsh joining of sounds.
*We want no parlay with you and your grisly gang who work your wicked will. |
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Apostrophe
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interrupts the discussion or discourse and addresses directly 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.
*O books who alone are liberal and free, who give to all who ask of you and enfranchise all who serve you faithfully! -- Richard de Bury |
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Chiasmus
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"Reverse Parallelism" The second part of a grammatical construction is balanced by the first part in reverse order. Instead of an A,B structure (e.g., "learned unwillingly") paralleled by another A,B structure ("forgotten gladly"), the A,B will be followed by B,A ("gladly forgotten").
*What is learned unwillingly is gladly forgotten. |
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Climax
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consists of arranging words, clauses, or sentences in the order of increasing importance, weight, or emphasis.
*The concerto was applauded at the house of Baron von Schnooty, it was praised highly at court, it was voted best concerto of the year by the Academy, it was considered by Mozart the highlight of his career, and it has become known today as the best concerto in the world. (largest ideas last) |
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Conduplicatio
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Figure of repetition in which the key word or words in one phrase, clause, or sentence is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases; repetition of a key word over successive phrases or clauses.
*Drugs don't just [destroy] their victims; they [destroy] entire families, schools, and communities. |
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Diacope
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repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis.
*We will do it, I tell you; we will do it. |
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Distinctio
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Figure of explication in which an introductory reference to a word's meaning is made (e.g., "by x I mean", "which is to say that", "that is") followed by a further elaboration of that word's meaning.
*Mr. Haskins describes the process as a simple one. If by simple he means easy to explain on paper, he is correct. But if he means there are no complexities involved in getting it to work, he is quite mistaken. |
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Epanalepsis
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Figure of emphasis in which the same word or words both begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or sentence; beginning and ending a phrase or clause with the same word or words.
*But I ain't goin' no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I wanna die, I'll die right here, right now fightin' you -- if I wanna die. |
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Epistrophe
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Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence is repeated one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.
*The minister who has been called by God, ordained by God, appointed by God, and anointed by God, is assumed guilty until proven innocent. |
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Epithet
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is an adjective or adjective phrase appropriately qualifying a subject by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject, as in "untroubled sleep," "peaceful dawn," and "lifegiving water."
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Euphemism
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Figure used to transform an unpleasant, distasteful or repulsive expression into more socially acceptable terms.
*Will: “We’re going to steal the ship? That ship? Jack: “Commandeer. We’re going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term.” |
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Eponym
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substitutes for a particular attribute the name of a famous person recognized for that attribute. By their nature eponyms often border on the cliche, but many times they can be useful without seeming too obviously trite. Needs to be well established.
*Is he smart? Why, the man is an Einstein. |
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Hyperbaton
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An inversion or device involving departure from normal word order. Draws attention to the phrase.
*These are rumors strange. |
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Hyperbole
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deliberate exaggeration of a person, thing, quality, event to emphasize a point external to the object of exaggeration; intentional exaggeration for rhetorical effect.
*The only place where democracy comes before work is in the dictionary. -Ralph Nader |
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Hypophora
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Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions is/are asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker; raising and responding to one's own question(s).
*When the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what ... |
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Irony
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Expression of something which is contrary to the intended meaning; the words say one thing but mean another.
*Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink ; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink |
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Metabasis
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consists of a brief statement of what has been said and what will follow. Function is to keep the discussion ordered and clear in its progress.
*I have hitherto made mention of his noble enterprises in France, and now I will rehearse his worthy acts done near to Rome. --Peacham |
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Metaphor
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A comparison made by speaking of one thing in terms of another; an implied comparison between two different things which share at least one attribute in common; an association between two unlike things.
*The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." -- Psalm 23:1 |
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Metonymy
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A form of metaphor, similar to synecdoche in which a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for another that's closely associated.
*You can't fight city hall. |
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Asyndeton
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Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account.
*He was a winner, a hero |
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Cacophony
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Harsh joining of sounds.
*We want no parlay with you and your grisly gang who work your wicked will. |
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Apostrophe
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interrupts the discussion or discourse and addresses directly 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.
*O books who alone are liberal and free, who give to all who ask of you and enfranchise all who serve you faithfully! -- Richard de Bury |
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Chiasmus
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"Reverse Parallelism" The second part of a grammatical construction is balanced by the first part in reverse order. Instead of an A,B structure (e.g., "learned unwillingly") paralleled by another A,B structure ("forgotten gladly"), the A,B will be followed by B,A ("gladly forgotten").
*What is learned unwillingly is gladly forgotten. |
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Climax
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consists of arranging words, clauses, or sentences in the order of increasing importance, weight, or emphasis.
*The concerto was applauded at the house of Baron von Schnooty, it was praised highly at court, it was voted best concerto of the year by the Academy, it was considered by Mozart the highlight of his career, and it has become known today as the best concerto in the world. (largest ideas last) |
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Conduplicatio
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Figure of repetition in which the key word or words in one phrase, clause, or sentence is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases; repetition of a key word over successive phrases or clauses.
*Drugs don't just [destroy] their victims; they [destroy] entire families, schools, and communities. |
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Diacope
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repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase as a method of emphasis.
*We will do it, I tell you; we will do it. |
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Distinctio
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Figure of explication in which an introductory reference to a word's meaning is made (e.g., "by x I mean", "which is to say that", "that is") followed by a further elaboration of that word's meaning.
*Mr. Haskins describes the process as a simple one. If by simple he means easy to explain on paper, he is correct. But if he means there are no complexities involved in getting it to work, he is quite mistaken. |
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Epanalepsis
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Figure of emphasis in which the same word or words both begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or sentence; beginning and ending a phrase or clause with the same word or words.
*But I ain't goin' no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I wanna die, I'll die right here, right now fightin' you -- if I wanna die. |
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Epistrophe
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Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or set of words in one sentence is repeated one or more times at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases.
*The minister who has been called by God, ordained by God, appointed by God, and anointed by God, is assumed guilty until proven innocent. |
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Onomatopoeia
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the use of words whose pronunciation imitates the sound the word describes.
*Buzz, BANG, boom |
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Oxymoron
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two words with contrary or apparently contradictory meanings occurring next to each other, and, which, nonetheless, evoke some measure of truth.
*Safe sex -- now there's an oxymoron. That's like 'tactical Nuke' or 'adult male. |
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Paradox
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employs an apparent contradiction which, nonetheless, evokes some measure of truth; a statement which seems at one level to be nonsensical because it moves against a normalcy.
*I don't hustle with people who are dishonest.-Woody Harrelson |
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Parallelism
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is recurrent syntactical similarity. Several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed similarly to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in importance. Parallelism also adds balance, rhythm and clarity to the sentence.
*For the end of a theoretical science is truth, but the end of a practical science is performance. -Aristole |
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Personification
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represents abstractions or inanimate objects with human qualities, including physical, emotional, and spiritual; the application of human attributes or abilities to nonhuman entities.
*This coffee is strong enough to get up and walk away. |
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Polysyndetion
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addition and emphasis which intentionally employs a series of conjunctions (and, or, but, for, nor, so, yet) not normally found in successive words, phrases, or clauses; the deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses.
*In years gone by, there were in every community men and women who spoke the language of duty and morality and loyalty and obligation. - William Buckley |
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Paranomasia
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Pun or play on words.
*Decimals have a point. |
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Procatelepsis
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anticipating an objection and answering it, permits an argument to continue moving forward while taking into account points or reasons opposing either the train of thought or its final conclusions.
*I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom. This I freely own, and it was indeed the principal design in offering it to the world. --Jonathan Swift |
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Rhetorical Question
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asks a question, not for the purpose of further discussion, but to assert or deny an answer implicitly; a question whose answer is obvious or implied.
*Sir, at long last, have you left no sense of decency? -Joseph Welch |
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Simile
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a comparison using like or as.
*I've had some long nights in the stir. Alone in the dark with nothing but your thoughts, time can draw out like a blade. That was the longest night of my life. |
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Synecdoche
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a type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole, the whole for the part.
*Good evening. Elvis Presley died today. He was 42. Apparently, it was a heart attack. He was found in his home in Memphis not breathing. His road manager tried to revive him -- he failed. A hospital tried to revive him -- it failed. His doctor pronounced him dead at three o'clock this afternoon. [the whole (hospital) stands in for one of its parts (the attending physician and health care workers)] |
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Understatement
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deliberately expresses an idea as less important than it actually is, either for ironic emphasis or for politeness and tact.
*"It's just a flesh wound." (Black Knight, after having both of his arms cut off, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail) |
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Zuegma
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2 different words linked to a verb or adjective which is strictly appropriate to only one.
*You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit. |
