Glossary Definitions

Slippery slope fallacy

This is an argument that assumes that one action will lead to another similar action that in turn will lead to another and to another, ultimately resulting in something quite undesirable. eg. in the beginning only people with incurable, painful illnesses will request to die. THen others wil less dramatic conditions will request it, Before you know it people with even minor illnesses will begin thinking of assisted death as a viable option. Doctor-assisted euthanasia will ultimately lead to mass suicide

Cumulative sentence aka loose sentence

They begin with the independent clause and then finish with a series of modifying constructions.

Anecdote

A brief narrative offered in a text to capture the audience's attention or to support a generalization or claim. As a rhetorical device, it could serve as evidence in an argument.

Aphorism

A concise statement of a principle of precept (command/general rule of action); e.g. "Life is short,...opportunity fleeting

Chiasmus

A crossing parallelism., where the second part of a grammatical construction is balanced or paralleled by the first part, only in reverse order. So insteand of writing "what is learned unwillingly is forgotten gladly," you could write, " what is learned unwillingly is gladly forgotten. ... It is used to intensify the contrast. As a rhetorical device, it is often used to place an emphasis on or draw attention to what is said.

Zeugma

A figure of speech in whcih one word, usually a noun or the main verb, yokes together two other elements that are unrelated. e.g He wrecked his car and his life. He maintained a business and his innocence.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which part of something is used to refer to its whole. E.g All hands on deck

Allusion

A figure of speech making an indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical or literary. As a rhetorical tool, a speaker or writer may use an allusion as comparative tool which could appeal to an audience's emotions.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where a thing associated with a person, place, or thing stands in for it

Subordinate clause

A group of words inclduing a subject and verb or actor and action but cannot stand on its own as a sentence;also called dependent clause. It is linked to an independent clause by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. A subordinate clause can function as an adjective ,an adverb, or a noun.

Pun

A play on words based on the similarity of sound between two words of different meaning. It is often seen as a simple form of humor e.g fowl instead of foul

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. It is used to draw attention to a point and is generally stronger than a direct statement. As a rhetorical tool, it could be used to appeal to an audience's common sense or logic.

Periodic sentence

A sentence beginning with a series of subordinate modifying phrases and clauses, often creating a crescendo effect, and then ending with a forceful independent clause. The periodic sentence makes sense only when the end of the sentence is reached.

Conditional sentence:

A sentence that focuses on a question of truth or fact, introduced by if or its equivalent. AS a rhetorical device, it often works as a vehicle for a writer/speaker to appeal to an audience's logic or common sense

Declarative sentence:

A sentence that makes a statement. As a rhetorical device, it could communicate or emphasize that the speaker/writer is confident.

Complex sentence

A sentence with an independent clause and one or more dependent/subordinate clauses.

Syllogism

A series of sentence structures and or clauses in which a logical conclusion is drawn from inarguable premises

Parallelism

A set of similary structured words, phrases, or clauses that appears in a sentence or paragraph. it invovles an arrangement of words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs so that elements of equal importance are equally developed and similary phrased. As a rhetorical tool, speakers/writers may use this rhythmic technique as a subtle repetition device emphasizing what is said and making content of what is said more memorable.

Analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship betweem tje,. Am analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging.

Independent clause

A word group containing a subject and a predicate that can stand alone as a sentence

Qualifier/Qualifying language

A word or sentence element limiting/qualifying another word, phrase or clause

Pathos

An appeal to the emotions or interests of the audience so that they will be sympathetically inclined to accept a writer's/speakeer's argument. Writers/Speakers may typically connotatively loaded diction and/or figurative language, as well as imagery to appeal to human emotions. The effect of the emotional appeal often eclipses those of the other appeals, and so if writers want their audience to act, not just reason, they often appeal to emotions.

Bandwagon appeal/fallacy

An argumentative fallacy where language is used to appeal to everyone's sense of wanting to belong or be accepted. It suggests that a person should act or think like everyone else because everyone else acts or think a certain way.

Hyperbole

An exaggeration or embellishment for effect or to make a point

Simile

An explicit comparison between two unlike things signaled by use of like,as,so, or than.

Either-Or Fallacy

An fallacy in argumentation in which language is used to suggest there are only two sides or perspectives in viewing an issue;it is a fallacy because more often than not an issue is more complex that just seeing it from two sides.

Imperative sentence

An imperative sentence gives a direct command to someone; its subject can sometimes be and implied "You."

Metaphor

An implied comparison between two unlike things that does not use the word like,as,so, or than. It is the most important of all the tropes

Narrative pace

The pace of the writing is how quickly it moves from one event or action to another. It can aid in creating a mood, tone, attiude and significance of information.

Personification

Figurative language which gives human qualities and characteristics to non-human entities e.g Father Time

Exemplum

Figure of amplification using an example, brief or extended, real or fictitious, to illustrate a point; in other words, a speaker/writer may provide a concrete example to make a concept more real for audience

Parody

In literary composition, it is a spoofing or exaggerated version of another writer's style.

ethos

Language employed ina text to establish that a writer/speaker is a credible, respectable, benevolent, balanced and/or trustworthy person who has done his/her homework and has the best inerests of the audience in mind. A writer/speaker may create an ethos by citing an authority or demonstrating a willingness to recognize other viewpoints.

Imagery

Language that evokes particular sensations or emotionally rich experiences in a reader. Imagery calls up sensations of sight, taste, smell, touch, heat, pressure. Images help to make abstracts and/or feelings concrete. Imagery often carries rich connotative meanings.

Logos

Language used in a text to appeal to an audience's interest in a clear, cogent argument. The use of logos is central to any argument and it is present if the text presents a structuring of its argument (s) or central idea(s) that appears well reasoned. Writers/Speakers who employ syllogisms, support their claims with factual evidence, or lead their audiences through a logical chain of events toward a conclusion demonstrate the use of logos. Charts, graphs, or any kind of statistical information could also be part of logos in that this kind of evidence would appeal to an audience's interest in an argument that is objective in its presentation.

Juxtaposition

Placing two ideas, words, or pictures side by side so that their closeness creates a new, sometimes ironic meaning.

Polysyndeton

Polysyndenton is the use of many conjunctions to separate clauses and phrases; it often serves as tool to manipulate the narrative pace of the writing; while it tends to be used to slow the pace, it can also create a sense of build-up or crescendo

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas, often in parallel structure. It's used to show a a contrast or opposition of thoughts.

Tone

The phrasing or words that expresses the attitude or feeling of the speaker or writer. The tone of a statement ranges from the angry, exasperated, and sarcastic, to the wondering or approving. An ironic tone suggests that the speaker or writer means more than the words actually state.

Asyndeton

The practice of leaving out the usual conjunctions between coordinate sentences elements. It is used to emphasize or to create a specific rhythm or pace. You rush a series of clauses together without conjunctions, as if tumbled together by emotional haste.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a group of words at the end of successive clauses;As a rhetorical device, it is often used to place an emphasis on what is said

Antimetabole

The repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order. As a rhetorical device, it is often used to place an emphasis on or draw attention to what is said.

Anaphora

The rhetorical device of repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis and rhythm. As a rhetorical device, it is often used to place an emphasis on or draw attention to what is said.

Antiphrasis

The satirical or humorous use of a word or phrase to convey an idea exactly opposite to its real significance or meaning.

Voice

The textual features such as diction and sentence structure that convey awriter's or speaker's persona. A piece with voice invites the reader to understand, to participate, to be convinced. THe reader of a piece of no-voice writing doesn't sense a person behind the words or anybody interesting.

Colloquial language

The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone.

False analogy

Using an analogy to conclusively prove an argument rather than simply illustrate an issue

Reductio ad absurdum

a reducing to absurdity to make an argument appear false;it carries a statement in an argument to a logical yet extreme conclusion