Rhetorical Terms and Devices

Generalization-A conclusion drawn from specific information that is used to make a broad statement about a topic or person

1 .All Mexicans are drug dealers 2 .All white people are raciest

Deduction- reasoning from general to specific

1 .All men are mortal, Harold is a man, therefore, Harold is mortal 2. Elephants have cells in their bodies, and all cells have DNA, therefore, elephants have DNA

trite- overused

1 .At the moment, his words wounded trite to me 2. It's said often, but it's not trite to be yourself

figurative language-writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally

1 .Bang Bang 2. The dog said good day

Organization- arranged in an orderly way

1 .Chronological order 2. Cause and effect

diction-the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

1 .His diction is pure, his style correct, his versification smooth though monotonous 2. Poetic diction describes the range of language used in poems

Process Analysis- explains how something works, how to do something, or how something was done

1 .Instead of buying a pair of cut-off shorts at the store, you can save money and continue wearing your favorite jeans by making your own cut-offs. All you need to make them is a sharp pair of scissors, a pencil, and this easy three-step process 2. How to make a penutbutter sandwich, get 2 pieces of bread, then get penutbutter and spread it on the bread, then put the bread together.

rhetorical situation-a situation in which people's understanding can be changed through messages

1 .Sending a love letter 2 .An ad that shows you the next needful thing you can't live without

the Aristotelian appeals-Three different methods of appealing to an audience to convince them—ethos, logos, and pathos.

1 .The author appeals to ethos 2. The author appeals to logos

Inductive- a form of logical argumentation that requires the use of examples

1 .This marble from the bag is black. That marble form the bag is black. A third marble form the bag is black. Therefore all the marbles in the bag are black 2. I counted five or six people with green eyes; there fore all the people have green eyes

colloquial-Characteristic of ordinary conversation rather than formal speech or writing

1 .Yo, how you doin' 2. Bruh I'm gettin' that grind

Assonance- Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity

1. "Hear the lark and harken to the barking of the dark fox gone to ground" 2. "Hear the mellow wedding bells"

Antithesis- the direct opposite, a sharp contrast

1. "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." "Speech is silver, but silence is gold." "Man proposes, God disposes." 2. That's one small step for a man - one giant leap for mankind.

logos-an appeal based on logic or reason

1. 4 out of 5 dentists recommend toothpaste 2. If you don't turn in your work your grades will suffer

Idea/example- A form of organization where a main point is supported by ideas, which are then backed up by examples

1. A chef makes a new menu because many people have been complaining about the current one 2. We should go to to park because Alex had a good time when he went to the park

Setting-The time and place of a story

1. A simple example to understand setting is the Disney movie "Cinderella." The setting starts out as Time: Cinderella as a young girl, long ago in the past Place: Cinderella's home in a kingdom far away After her father dies, the time aspect of setting changes, skipping roughly ten years into the future. Understanding this change in time helps in keeping up with the story.

polysyllabic - having many syllables

1. A windmill is a building with sails that turn in the wind 2. the word demonstration

Asyndeton- the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence.

1. After seeing all the evidence, I agree. They disagree. 2. "I wore a sweater. A hat. A scarf. Mittens."

Polysyndeton- The deliberate use of a series of conjunctions.

1. And we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan, and then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House!" 2. "I wore a sweater, and a hat, and a scarf, and a pair of boots, and mittens,"

Allegory- A story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.

1. Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel is an allegory for the monumental pain and suffering experienced by victims of the Holocaust 2. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe is an allegory for death, the moral is no man escapes death

Cause/effect-The reason something happens and the result of it happening.

1. Because of a price increased sales are down 2. Since the refrigerator was practically empty, we had to go to the store

Syntax- Sentence structure

1. Case: He took me to the restaurant. versus He took I to the restaurant. 2.Agreement: She is a person. versus She am a person

Rhetorical question- A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected.

1. Do you want to be a failure for the rest of your life? 2. Can fish swim?

denotation-The dictionary definition of a word

1. For example, denotation of the word "blue" is the color blue, but its connotation is "sad"—read the following sentence: The blueberry is very blue. We understand this sentence by its denotative meaning—it describes the literal color of the fruit. In contrast, read the next sentence: Susie is very blue. If we understand this second sentence by its denotative meaning, it would mean that Susie is literally the color blue. However, we understand this sentence by its connotative meaning, which is that Susie is sad.

nostalgic- longing for the past

1. Gatsby has nostalgic longing for the past, represented by his longing for daisy 2 .Alex is craving to be back in college again

explain- tell how

1. Gendo told Shinji he would have to get into the robot or Rei would have to do it again and die doing it. 2. When the new employee was going through her job orientation, the boss provided an explanation of he tasks she would need to perform

begging the question- The situation that results when a writer or speaker constructs an argument on an assumption that the audience does not accept.

1. God is real because the bible says so, and the bible is from god 2 .Killing people is wrong, so the death penalty is wrong.

compassionate- Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.

1. He had to remain a compassionate death, one who understood what it was to live 2. There was compassion in her sparkling gaze despite the gentle humor in her voice

inform- to give information

1. He informed her of his arrival 2. She read a book about cars to inform herself on how to fix her blown gasket

ethos- credibility

1. He knows this dino bones, ha has been a leading paleontology researcher for 20 years. 2. As a dentist I see this problem a lot, I recommend using a sensitive toothpaste.

purpose (text)- to entertain, inform, or persuade

1. He made a fiction book because we wanted to entertain teens 2. She made a book about the elements to inform people

Simile-A comparison using "like" or "as"

1. He's as thin as a toothpick. 2.She moved like a deer.

Metonymy- substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it

1. Hollywood has been releasing a surprising amount of sci-fi movies lately. 2.Do you want a piece of my Danish?

Alliteration- Repetition of consonant sounds

1. How much could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood chuck. 2. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

contemptuous- feeling hatred

1. How white supremacists feel about people of colour 2. Two people look at each other in a contemptuous manner

sardonic-grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic

1. I did not attend the funeral, but I sent a letter saying I approved of it 2. "I always wanted to marry in the spring, just as the petunias bloom." "Just when the what?" "Oh, dear. Is she hard of hearing?" "No, no, no! I can hear you. I just wanted to make sure you could hear you."

persuade- to convince

1. I persuaded my mom to let me go to the movies 2. Misato convinced Risoto to let Shinji live with her

non sequitur-A statement that does not follow logically from evidence

1. I read about a dog attack, our neighbor owns a dog, my life is in danger 2. It's nice and sunny outside, it's suicide weather

Anecdote- a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

1. I was an owl last year—it was a real hoot! 2. That reminds me of a wild party I went to with the groom, before he got that new ball and chain! If you had told me back then that he would choose just ONE woman, I never would have believed it!

Loose sentence- A type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.

1. I went to the movies yesterday, bought candy, and shopped at the mall. 2.The elephants proceeded on their walk, pounding the dry dirt, and swinging their trunks.

tone- A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.

1. I'll just swing by your office at 4 tomorrow! 2. I will meet you in your office tomorrow at 4:00.

Narration- the telling of a story in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama; one of the four modes of discourse

1. I'm going to share a story with you. (1st person narrator) 2. The dog is going to go outside (3rd person narrator)

didactic- intended to teach

1. James was a very didactic person; he really loved teaching 2. Orwell's Animal Farm is didactic in that is can be seen as a warning, intending for the reader to learn a lesson about the dangers of totalitarianism

Inverted syntax- reversing the normal word order of a sentence

1. Jen has read this book.Has Jen read this book? 2. He is happy.Is he happy?

pedantic- tending to show off one's learning

1. Knowledge should be shared through humble streams, rather than waves of pedantic jibber-jabber. 2. Sheldon from the big bang theory is pedantic, hes narcissistic and always has to know more than others

Syllogism- A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

1. No dogs are cats, all beagles are dogs, therefore, no beagles are cats 2. All men have brains, all humans have brains, therefore all humans are men

Paradox-a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true

1. Nobody goes to Murphy's Bar anymore — it's too crowded. 2.This statement is a lie.

Persuasion- the process of creating, reinforcing, or changing people's beliefs or actions

1. PSAs try to persuade you to stop smoking by telling your smoking causes throat and lung cancer 2. You try to persuade your mom to let you go out with your friends

Assertion- a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief

1. People proclaiming that the Covid-19 is not real 2. People saying that face masks don't do anything and that the masks actually make you get Covid-19

Analogy-A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

1. Raising children requires the same dedication you would give to a garden. Nurture them, feed them, introduce them to both light and dark, and have patience; and soon you will see them grow into blooming wonders. 2. Every choice you make is like spinning the wheel of fortune—sometimes you will get the result that you desire, while other times you will end up with something you always hoped to avoid.

Ambiguous-unclear or doubtful in meaning

1. Sarah gave a bath to her dog wearing a pink t-shirt 2. I have never tasted a cake quite like that one before

Detail-Facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in the work

1. She had deep black hair and bright green eyes 2. He was wearing a white cowboy hat, navy blue jeans and a black button down shirt

informal-casual, relaxed, not formal

1. She said bruh 2. Whatsup

Exigence-an issue, problem, or situation that causes or prompts someone to write or speak

1. Slavery caused many abolitionists to write in papers to persuade people that slavery is wrong 2. Women wrote essays to gain their rights

Hyperbole- exaggeration

1. Spring break will never come 2.She's going to die of embarrassment.

connotation-the implied or associative meaning of a word

1. Strong, tough, sturdy, hard 2. Stench, smell, aroma, scent, odor

Metaphor-comparison not using like or as

1. That football player is really putting the team on his back this evening! 2. All religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree.

Personification-the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea

1. That piece of chocolate cake is calling my name. 2.The tired old car coughed and weezed and crawled down the street.

Synecdoche- a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

1. The Department of Education announced new plans for the education reform. 2. A boy has been admitted to the hospital. The nurse says, "He's in good hands."

Participant- a person who takes part in something

1. The MC talked to her friend 2. The narrator participates in the story by being the MC

entertain- to interest and amuse

1. The MCU entertains millions of people 2. Neon Genesis Evangelion fills with happiness when they watch it.

sentence length variation- intentionally mixing the lengths of your sentences for effect, and to avoid sounding boring

1. The Winslow family visited Canada and Alaska last summer to find some Native American art. In Anchorage stores they found some excellent examples of soapstone carvings. But they couldn't find a dealer selling any of the woven wall hangings they wanted. They were very disappointed when they left Anchorage empty-handed.

benevolent-well meaning and kindly

1. The benevolent gentleman left a further sum of $5000 to be divided among the poor 2. It turns out, however, their motives are not so benevolent

Repetition- Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis

1. The big stairs led up to a big house with a big front door. Breathe, breathe, breathe, I told myself. I only have to stay for one second, be afraid for one second, not scream for one second. I can do it. I can win the bet. I can prove I'm brave.

Observer- the narrator character is an observer of the protagonist, not the protagonist themselves

1. The boy walked down the street ( the person talking is not within the story and is only looking in on it) 2. The dog barked at the bird (the person talking is not within the story and is only looking in on it)

Imagery-visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

1. The night was black as ever, but bright stars lit up the sky in beautiful and varied constellations which were sprinkled across the astronomical landscape. 2. She smelled the scent of sweet hibiscus wafting through the air, its tropical smell a reminder that she was on vacation in a beautiful place.

audience-One's listener or readership; those to whom a speech or piece of writing is addressed.

1. The picture book's intended audience was children 2. Novellas target audience is Hispanic people

Parallel sentence- the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence

1. The rock star wants to warm up, play the guitar , and sing. 2. Every morning, we make our bed, eat breakfast and feed the dog

description-a spoken or written summary of observations

1. The short elegant boy with the sliver hair wearing a white short sleeve button down, black jeans, and white converse. 2. The huge purple robot that the girl with the light blue hair has to get into unless Shinji gets into it.

Concrete- specific

1. The spoon was on the table 2. The student was writing with a black pen

Understatement-A statement that says less than what is meant

1. The storm brought us a little bit of rain today. 2.There's some water in the Atlantic Ocean.

Logical Fallacies-An error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid

1. Tigers and lions are ruthless killers, so house cats must also be ruthless killers. 2. We can't listen to Eric's presentation about climate change because he owns an electric car

Exposition- a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

1. Tommy kicked angrily at the rocks in front of him as he walked to the little store up the road. The gravel road was quiet, with only the dust from his feet rising up from the ground. The Texas spring was hotter and drier than normal, causing a slight drought. Tommy wished he still had his bike, but he had broken the frame last fall when he and his friends did some trick rides. "Man, that was some fun, though!" he remembered with a smile.

urban-relating to a city

1. Urban farmers are finding ways to grow food in cities with little farmland 2. They live in a little urban city

Dramatic Irony- when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

1. We all know the ending of Titanic — that ship is going down. But everyone on board thinks that it's "unsinkable"! 2. In a horror movie, for example, the characters might be exploring a creepy old basement when one says "Don't be a wimp, there's nothing down here!" Even if we've never seen the movie before, we know it's a horror movie and we can be pretty sure that there is something down there — only the characters don't know about it.

Consonance- agreement or compatibility between opinions or actions.

1. When Billie looked at the trailer, she smiled and laughed. 2. I dropped the locket in the thick mud.

effusive-emotionally excessive; overly demonstrative

1. When you are so grateful and happy that you hug someone and thank them many times 2. Her smile became wider and bowing thanks, very effusive

Subjective- based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions

1. While I was senator, I passed important legislation 2. reading everyday is very important

ad hominem- An argument based on the failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack.

1. White people can't talk about black lives matter because they aren't black. 2. Atheists can't talk about religion because they don't believe in a god

Periodic sentence- sentence whose main clause is withheld until the end

1. With low taxes, beautiful views and a mild climate, this city is a great place to live. 2. Positive thinking, by helping us stay focused and maintaining a good attitude, is important for a happy life.

Allusion-A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

1. You're acting like such a Scrooge! 2. I didn't have any bus fare, but fortunately some good Samaritan helped me out!

either/or reasoning-When the writer reduces an argument or issue to two polar opposites and ignores any alternatives.

1. You're either with god or against him 2. You can either support animal rights or you can eat meat

Objective- Factual, related to reality or physical objects; not influenced by emotions, unbiased

1. Your heart pumps blood through your body 2. There are 50 states in the U.S

formal-done in accordance with rules of convention or etiquette; suitable for or constituting an official or important situation or occasion.

1. a legal document 2. a research paper

Abstract-existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

1. emotions 2. love

mood-a temporary state of mind or feeling.

1. he walked through the dark foggy forest unaware of what was out there (scary) 2. it was bright and sunny outside (happy/cheerful)

Verbal Irony- irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

1. in a rain storm wow what nice weather we're having 2. gets hit by a car today's my lucky day

monosyllabic-having only one syllable

1. the word cat 2. A sullen teenager who only uses short words to chat with his parents

Red Herring-something that draws attention away from the main issue

1. there's a lot of discussion about climate change but we can't possibly make our world perfect 2. if you defund the police crime will go up

contrastive-A term used to describe two sounds that can be used to differentiate words in a language.

1. words like but and though are examples 2. Contrastive colours i a painting can create an interesting image, while contrasting personalities can spark a feud

authority-A reliable, respected source—someone with knowledge.

1.Albert Einstein was a vegetarian and a genius, therefore everyone should be a vegetarian. 2 .George Washington owned slaves therefore it is in good practice to own slaves

Comparison/contrast- A method of informing that explains something by focusing on how it is similar and different from other things

1.Contrast often means "opposite": for example, black is the opposite of white, and so there's a contrast between black ink and white paper. But contrast can also happen when the two things are just very different. For example, cats and dogs are definitely a contrast, but they're not opposites.

Anaphora- repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

1.I'm sick and tired of you letting me down. I'm sick and tired of you making me mad. And I'm sick and tired of you doing such silly things! 2. Every single day you let me down. Every single day you make me mad. Every single day you do such silly things!

pathos-Appeal to emotion

1.If we don't get the ugly puppy no one will 2. I you don't come to Christmas dinner you'll break grandma's heart

false dilemma-A fallacy of oversimplification that offers a limited number of options (usually two) when in fact more options are available.

1.If you want our country to be safe, we have to increase police spending 2. America: love it or leave it

Description- a spoken or written summary of observations

1.The sunset filled the sky with a deep red flame, setting the clouds ablaze 2. My uber driver looked like a deflating airbag and sounded like talk radio on repeat