A.P. Vocabulary List – Rhetorical Terms Allusion​
: a short, indirect reference to a famous person, work or event. (​
He may be generous, but he doesn’t walk on water.​
) Anecdote​
: a short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident. Antithesis:​
establishes a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or ​
juxtaposing​
them, often in parallel structure​
(which is when two parts of a piece of writing use the same structure to show similarities in their content). Anaphora​
: the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. Aphorism​
: a brief statement of a principle; an adage. (​
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.​
) Appositive​
: a noun or noun phrase placed next to (in apposition to) another noun to be described or defined by the appositive. (​
Henry Jameson, the boss of the operation, always wore a red baseball cap.​
) Colloquial​
: informal words and expressions that are more suitable for use in speech than in writing. Idiom: ​
A common, often colloquial expression that is not meant to be taken literally. (​
“I got chewed out by my coach.”​
) Connotation​
: a feeling or idea that is suggested by a particular word although it is not a part of the word's definition. Denotation​
: the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression. Deductive​
: inferring from general principles (general to specific). Inductive​
: proceeding from particular facts to a general conclusion (specific to general). Diction​
: Choice and use of words in speech or writing to convey (or enhance) meaning. Syntax​
: A pattern of words (in a sentence) that abides by grammatical rules. Grammatically correct word sequence. Didactic​
: Morally instructive. Inclined to teach or moralize. Dogma​
: a fixed, especially religious, belief or set of beliefs that people are expected to accept without any doubts Dogmatic: ​
being certain that the writer/speaker is right based upon preconceived notions or a fixed theory. Pragmatic​
: solving problems in a realistic way that suits the present conditions rather than obeying fixed theories/ideas. Euphemism substitution of a milder or less direct expression for one that is harsh or blunt. eg. ​
"passed away"​
for "dead." Extol: ​
to praise highly; glorify. (​
He extolled the virtues of faith and love in his proposal​
.) Fallacy​
: a statement or an argument based on a false or invalid reasoning. Hyperbole​
:​
exaggeration for emphasis or effect. Litotes:​
understatement used deliberately, or the expression of an affirmative by the negation of its opposite. Logos:​
(logic) arguments that use objective, factual information. Ethos: ​
(ethics) arguments that use moral implications (​
“it’s the right thing to do.”​
). Speaker/writer must be an authority. Pathos:​
(emotion) arguments that use and/or affect feelings and sentiments. Invective: ​
insulting, abusive, or highly critical language. (​
The author eschewed invective; his subtle language was more effective at ingratiating himself to the audience.) Irony:​
language that implies a double audience, consisting of one party that does not understand, & another party that, when more is meant than meets the ear, is aware both of that more & of the outsiders’ incomprehension. Jargon​
: The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group (incoherent to the ignorant). Esoteric. Loaded words: ​
words that ​
have strong emotional implications and involve strongly positive or negative reactions beyond their literal meaning​
(eg. ​
“family values”, “weed”, “abortion”​
). Metonymy​
is a metaphor, 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. ( ​
The White House announced the date for the next press conference.​
) Non­sequitur:​
​
Latin for "it does not follow." When one statement isn't logically connected to another. Onomatopoeia​
:​
use of words that imitate natural sounds. (eg. ​
bang, buzz, click, whoosh​
) Paradox​
: a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true; exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects. Parallel Structure​
: usage of the same pattern of words, often to show that two or more ideas have the same importance. Rhetorical Question​
: ​
a question asked solely to produce an effect or to make an assertion and not to elicit a reply. Salient: ​
the most noticeable or important (especially in terms of claims being made). Trope​
: language used in a figurative or non­literal sense; figure of speech (eg. ​
metaphor, simile, personification​
).