Rhetoric

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abstract

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that which cannot be perceived through the senses

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concrete

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that which can be perceived through the senses

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active voice

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subject of the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb

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alliteration

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repetition of the same sound begining several words in sequence

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allusion

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a reference to another text, history/culture, a person, the Bible, or mythology. must carefully consider audience when using

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analogy

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asserts that because two things are comparable in some respects, they are comparable in others

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anaphora

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specific type of parallelism- repetition of the same word or group of words beginning successive clauses, sentences or lines. draws attention

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anecdote

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brief, usually humerus, narrative meant to strengthen an argument. logical

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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. clarifies what is often overlooked

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antecedent

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noun a pronoun refers to

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apostrophe

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address of something what is absent or of something without intelligence

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archaic diction

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old fashioned or outdated choice of words

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argument ad hominem

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attacking a persons personal views by attacking his/her character

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argument from doubtful or unidentified authority

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"according to reliable sources, my opponent is lying"

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arrangement

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method of organization

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assumption

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underlying belief that supports an argument, rarely questioned

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asyndeton

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omitting conjunctions between successive words, phrases or clauses. gives the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity rather than a labored account

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begging the question

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taking for granted from the start what you set out to demonstrate

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bias

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result of personal experience and culture

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cause and effect

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clear crystal logic, chain of events

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chaismus
(antimetabole)

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repetition of words in reverse order

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classical model

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structure for an oration

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exordium

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introduces the writer to the subject under discussion. ethos

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narratio

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provides factual information and background material. logos & pathos

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propositio

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argument's thesis

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confirmatio

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development or proof needed to make the writers case. logos.

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refutatio

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addresses counterarguments. logos.

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peroratio

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brings essay to a close, appeals to pathos reminds of ethos

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classification and division

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sorts ideas into major categories, makes connections to seemingly unrelated things

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colloquialism

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characteristics or formal conversation

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comparison and contrast

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juxtaposes two things to highlight their similarities and differences. organized point by point or subject by subject

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complex sentence

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multiple clauses

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connotation

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"emotional baggage", emotional response to words

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denotation

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"dictionary" meaning

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context
(occasion)

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time or place a piece is written or spoken

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counterargument

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appeal to logos. anticipates opposing views

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deductive reasoning

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working your way from a general statement to a particular case

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definition

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explores the boundaries of a given term or concept

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description

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emphasizes the senses by painting a picture with the senses

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diction

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dependent on choice of words

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either/or reasoning

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assuming that a reality may be divided into only two parts or extremes. assuming that a given problem only has two solutions

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enthymeme

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shortened syllogism that serves the purpose of a more practical way to argue. leaves out the major premise

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equivocation

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the use of vague words in order to mislead. caused by poor word choice, using words with more than one meaning

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ethos

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use to show credible and trustworthy

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euphemism

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substitution of a mild or vague expression for one thought to be offensive or harsh

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exemplification

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series of examples to make a concrete argument

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false analogy

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claim of persuasive likeness when no significant likeness exists

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hasty generalization

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leaping to a generalization from inadequate or faulty evidence. stereotype

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hortative sentence

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exhorts, advises, calls to action. "let us" "may"

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hyperbole

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deliberately exaggerates conditions for effect or emphasis

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idiomatic expression

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meanings cant be inferred by the meaning of words that make it up

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imagery

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the use of language to engage the readers senses

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imperative sentence

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sentence used to command, enjoin, implore or entreat

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inductive reasoning

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collected bits of evidence on which generalizations are based. reasoning from particular experiences to general truths. ex: scientific method

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inversion

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inverted order of words in a sentence (variation of subject-verb-object order)

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juxtaposition

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placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together for the sake of comparison/contrast. relies on audience to make a connection

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litotes

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form of understatement generated by denying the opposite of the word which would be used

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logos

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reason, rational ideas

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loose or cumulative sentence

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independent clause followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail. allows speaker to get main thought out so the audience knows exactly what id being argued

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meiosis

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expressive understatement

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metaphor

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says one thing is another for the sake of comparison

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metonymy

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using a single feature to represent the whole

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narration

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concrete detail, chronology, crafts a story to support the thesis

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non sequitur

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stating a conclusion that doesnt follow from the first premise

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oversimplification

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supplying neat and easy explanations for large and complicated phenomena

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oxymoron

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paradoxical juxtaposing of words that seem to contradict one another

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paradox

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seemingly contradictory ideas that contain a deeper truth

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paralipsis

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ideas is emphasized by the pretence that it is too obvious to discuss

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parallelism

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general term for the argument of the parts of a composition so that elements of equal importance are balanced in similar constructions

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parody

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a humerus imitation of a serious event/person

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pathos

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appeal to audience's emotion

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patterns of development

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logical ways to organize a text

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periodic sentences

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sentence that builds toward and ends with the main clause

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personification

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attribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or idea

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post hoc, ergo propter hoc

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assumes that because B comes after A, B was caused by A

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process analysis

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how something works

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purpose

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the goal the speaker sets out to achieve

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red herring

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an argument that distracts the audience from the issue in question by introduction of some irrelevancy

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rhetoric

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art or study of using language effectively

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rhetorical question

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asked more to produce an effect than summon an answer

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rhetorical triangle

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relationship between audience, speaker, and subject

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polysyndeton

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the use of a conjunction between each word, phrase or clause and is structurally opposite of an asyndeton calls to attention each word

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satire

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the use of irony in exposing or denouncing vice

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similie

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two unlike things are explicitly compared

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slang

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informal vocabulary

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straw man argument

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meant to easily prove that ones argument is superior to an opposing position. person using the device misinterprets the other persons argument

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subject

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topic or issue the writer seeks to explore

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subordinate clause

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added on clause to add description

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syllogism

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a 3 step form of reasoning including the major premise (generalization about a large group, the minor premise (says something about a particular member of that group) and the conclusion

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synaesthesia

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sensation in one part of the body produced by stimulus in another

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synecdoche

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type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole or the whole for the part

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syntax

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the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences

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thesis, claim or assertion

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main idea of a speech

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tone

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quality or character of writing

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zeugma

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use of 2 different words in a grammatically similar way, producing different meanings

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passive voice

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object receiving the action is used as the subject of the sentence, diminishes harshness