Rhetoric & Style Terms

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Invention

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the way the writer or speaker finds something to say, rather than how he/she will say it

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Arrangement

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concerned with how the author organizes what he/she has to say

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Style

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the particular manner of expression of a writer which distinguishes him/her from other writers

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Rhetoric

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basically an umbrella term for all of strategies, modes, and devices a writer employ to allow the reader to easily accept and understand his/her point of view

(how the author conveys his/her ideas)

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Ethos

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the character or credibility of the speaker/writer

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Logos

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the content of the writer or spoken message; facts and reasoning

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Pathos

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the emotional appeal to the audience by the speaker or writer

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Discourse

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"conversation" on a specific subject

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Mode of Discourse

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particular method or organization or arrangement (exposition, narration, description, and argumentation)

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Exposition

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illustrates a point by elaborating on it with facts and details

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Narration

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tells a story

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Description

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creates sensory imagery

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Argumentation

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takes a position on an issue and defends it

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Exemplification (Examples)

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specific event, person, or detail of an idea cited and or developed to support or illustrate a thesis or topic

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Definition

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identifies the class to which a specific term belongs and those characteristics which make it different from all the other items in that class

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Comparison and Contrast

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similarities and differences

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Casual Analysis

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analyze why something happens and describe the consequences of a string of events

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Process Analysis

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analyze a process; explain how to do something or how something happens

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Diction

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refers to the author's purposeful selection of words to craft a particular tone and effect

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Monosyllabic

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one syllable in length

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Polysyllabic

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multiple syllables in length

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Colloquial

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conversational; slang; relaxed

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Informal

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personal; conversational

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Formal

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academic; literary; professional

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Old-fashioned

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archaic

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Concrete

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specific

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Euphonious

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pleasant sounding

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Cacophonous

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non-pleasant sounding

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Syntax

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the grammatical structure of sentences

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Deliberate Sentence Structure

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the author chooses to make his/her desired point

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Parallelism

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grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of a sentence

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Telegraphic Sentence

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fewer than five words in length

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Short Sentence

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approximately five words in length

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Medium Sentence

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approximately eighteen words in length

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Long and Involved

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thirty words or more in length

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Declarative

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(assertive) sentence that makes a statement

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Imperative

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sentence that gives a command

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Interrogative

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sentence that asks a question

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Exclamatory

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sentence that makes an exclamation

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Simple Sentence

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one subject and one verb

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Compound Sentence

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two independent clauses joined by a coordinate conjunction or by a semicolon

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Complex Sentence

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an independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses

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Compound-Complex Sentence

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two or more principal clauses and one or more subordinate clauses

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Loose Sentence

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the independent clause comes at the beginning and makes complete sense if brought to a close before actually ending

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Periodic Sentence

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makes sense only when the end of the sentence is reached because the independent clause comes at the end

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Balanced Sentence

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the phrases or clauses balance each other by virtue of their likeness or structure, meaning, and/or length

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Juxtaposition

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a poetic and rhetorical device which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, creating an effect of surprise

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Antithesis

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contrasting words, phrases, or clauses are placed next to each other

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Repetition

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words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once for the purpose of enhancing rhythm and creating emphasis

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Rhetorical Question

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question that expects no answer

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Selection of Detail

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particular details that a writer chooses to include in the text

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Language Devices

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the writer's use of figurative language, poetic devices, and imagery

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Simile

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a comparison of two different things or ideas using like or as

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Metaphor

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a comparison without using like or as

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Personification

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a kind of metaphor which gives inanimate objects or abstract ideas human characteristics

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Hyperbole

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a deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration (serious or comedic effect)

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Understatement (Meiosis)

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opposite of hyperbole; kind of irony, deliberately represents something as much less than it really is

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Paradox

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statement that contradicts itself

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Oxymoron

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form of paradox which combines a pair of contrary terms into a single expression

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Pun

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a play on words which are identical or similar in sound but which have sharply diverse meanings

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Irony

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the result of a statement saying one thing while meaning the opposite

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Sarcasm

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a type of irony in which a person appears to be praising something while he/she is actually insulting the thing

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Antithesis

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involves a direct contrast of structurally parallel word groupings generally for the purpose of contrast

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Apostrophe

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form of personification in which the absent or dead are spoken to as if present, and the inanimate as if animate

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Allusion

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a reference to a mythological, literary, historical, or Biblical person, place or thing

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Satire

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use of irony, sarcasm, and ridicule to expose or denounce human folly

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Synecdoche

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part of something that is used to signify the whole (a form of metaphor)

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Metonymy

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the name of one thing is applied to another things with which it is closely associated; a closely associated object is substituted for the object or idea in mind

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Imagery

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language that appeals to the five senses

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Sound Devices

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devices that imitate sounds

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Alliteration

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the practice of beginning several consecutive or neighboring words with the same sound

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Assonance

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the repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words

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Consonance

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the repetition of a consonant sound within a series of words to produce a harmonious effect

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Onomatopoeia

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the use of words in which the sounds seem to resemble the sounds they describe

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Point of View

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the narrator's position in relation to the narrative being old

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1st Person

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the narrator is the story's protagonist

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2nd Person

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the narrator directly addresses the reader

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3rd Person Omniscent

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the narrator knows the thoughts and events of all characters

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3rd Person Limited

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the narrator is limited to the thoughts of one character

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Stream-of-consciousness

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a narrative technique that places the reader in the mind and thought process of the narrator, no matter how random and spontaneous the writing may be

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Tone and Attitude

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the author's perception and presentation of the material and the audience

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Accusatory

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charging of wrong doing

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Apathetic

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indifferent due to the lack of energy or concern

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Awe

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solemn wonder

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Bitter

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exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

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Cynical

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questions the basic sincerity and goodness of people

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Condescension; Condescending

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a feeling of superiority

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Callous

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unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others

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Contemplative

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studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue

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Critical

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finding fault

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Choleric

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hot-tempered, easily angered

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Contemptuous

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showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect

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Caustic

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intense use of sarcasm; stinging; biting

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Conventional

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lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality

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Disdainful

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scornful

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Didactic

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author attempts to educate or instruct the reader

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Derisive

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ridiculing, mocking

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Earnest

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intense, a sincere state of mind

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Erudite

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learned, polished, scholarly

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Fanciful

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using the imagination

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Forthright

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directly frank without hesitation

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Gloomy

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darkness, sadness, rejection

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Haughty

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proud and vain to the point of arrogance

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Indignant

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marked by anger aroused by injustice

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Intimate

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very familiar

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Judgmental

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authoritative and often having critical opinions

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Jovial

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happy

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Lyrical

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expressing a poet's inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like

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Matter-of-Fact

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accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional

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Mocking

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treating with contempt or ridicule

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Morose

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gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent

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Malicious

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purposely hurtful

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Objective

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an unbiased view-able to leave personal judgments aside

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Optimistic

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hopeful, cheerful

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Obsequious

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polite and obedient in order to gain something

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Patronizing

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air of condescension

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Pessimistic

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seeing the worst side of thing; no hope

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Quizzical

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odd, eccentric, amusing

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Ribald

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offensive in speech or gesture

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Reverent

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treating a subject with honor and respect

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Ridiculing

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slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of

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Reflective

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illustrating innermost thoughts and emotions

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Sarcastic

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sneering; caustic

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Sardonic

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scornfully and bitterly sarcastic

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Satiric

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ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach

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Sincere

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without deceit or pretense; genuine

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Solemn

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deeply earnest, tending toward sad reflection

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Sanguineous

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optimistic, cheerful

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Whimsical

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odd, strange, fantastic; fun

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Pacing

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the movement of literary piece from one point to another

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Connective Tissue

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holds the various points of your paper together

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Transitions

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indicate a logical connection between ideas

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Voice Consistency

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use of the active and avoidances of the passive voice when possible

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Tense Consistency

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use of the same tense throughout the selection

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Subject Consistency

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the subjects of the main clauses in a sequence of sentences is consistent

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Ascribe

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attribute something to (a cause)

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Fervently

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having or displaying a passionate intensity

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Invoke

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cite or appeal (to something or someone) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument