Rhetorical Devices and Rhetorical Appeals

Tricolon

A series of three parallel phrases or clauses.

Apostrophe

An address, either to someone who is absent and therefore cannot hear the speaker or to something nonhuman that cannot comprehend. "For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him." Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Catachresis (cat-a-KREE-siss)

Figure of association in which a highly unusual or outlandish comparison is made between two things. This figure moves beyond a metaphor by degrees -- the language used for comparative purposes is strikingly at odds with conventional usage. "Honey, you are a regular nuclear meltdown. You'd better cool off." -- delivered by Susan Sarandon (from the movie Bull Durham)

Parallelism

Figure of balance identified by a similarity in the syntactical structure of a set of words in successive phrases, clauses, sentences; successive words, phrases, clauses with the same or very similar grammatical structure. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." -- John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address

Antithesis (an-TIH-theh-sis)

Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. "The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." -- Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (delivered by Jeff Daniels)

Metaphor

Figure of explication occurring when 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

Rhetorical Question

Figure which 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. "Can anyone look at the record of this Administration and say, "Well done"? Can anyone compare the state of our economy when the Carter Administration took office with where we are today and say, "Keep up the good work"? Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today and say, "Let's have four more years of this"? -- Ronald Reagan, 1980 Republican National Convention Acceptance Address

Exemplum

Using an example, brief or extended, real or fictitious, to illustrate a point; "Scientists can do more, but we've got to give them the chance. And that means more funding for research. Right now, for example, about a quarter million Americans have a spinal chord injury." -- Christopher Reeve, 1996 Democratic National Convention Address

Ethos

an appeal based on the character, credibility, or reliability of the writer. Ethos establishes the writer's authority and believability. Ethos tries to persuade the reader that the writer can be trusted due to noble character or the ethical ways of presenting ideas

Logos

an appeal that relies on logic or reason. Logos tries to intellectually persuade the reader and often depends on the use of inductive or deductive reasoning. • Deductive reasoning begins with a generalization and then applies it to a specific case. • Inductive reasoning takes a specific representative case or facts and then draws generalizations or conclusions from them

Kairos

an appeal to the moment and its context. Kairos shows that it is the right time for the writer to be addressing the issue. Kairos tries to persuade by showing the reader something currently important.

Pathos

an emotional appeal to an audience's needs, values, and emotional sensibilities. Emotional appeals can use sources such as interviews and individual stories to paint a more legitimate and moving picture of reality or illuminate the truth.

Personification

attribution of personality to an impersonal thing. "Once again, the heart of America is heavy. The spirit of America weeps for a tragedy that denies the very meaning of our land." -- Lyndon Baines Johnson

Hyperbole

exaggeration for emphasis or for rhetorical effect.

Aporia

expression of doubt (often feigned) by which a speaker appears uncertain as to what he should think, say, or do.

Irony

expression of something which is contrary to the intended meaning; the words say one thing but mean another.

Anaphora

repetition of a word/phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines. "To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child, it takes a family; it takes teachers; it takes clergy; it takes business people; it takes community leaders; it takes those who protect our health and safety. It takes all of us." Hillary Clinton, 1996 Democratic National Convention Address

Epistrophe

repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses. "The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divides [sic] us has come." Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address

Enumeratio

setting out your points one by one, to give the impression of clarity and command.

Euphemism

substitution of an agreeable or at least non-offensive expression for one whose plainer meaning might be harsh or unpleasant.

Polysyndeton

the repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses. "I said, "Who killed him?" and he said, "I don't know who killed him but he's dead all right," and it was dark and there was water standing in the street and no lights and windows broke and boats all up in the town and trees blown down and everything all blown and I got a skiff and went out and found my boat where I had her inside Mango Bay and she was all right only she was full of water. --Hemingway, "After the Storm"