Rhetorical Terms

equivocation

2 or more different meanings of a single word or phrase that is important to the argument`

personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes ex. O beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on. —Iago in Shakespeare's Othello 3.3.165-

litotes

Deliberate understatement, especially when expressing a thought by denying its opposite. ex. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain. —J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

weak analogy

Many arguments rely on an analogy between two or more objects, ideas, or situations. If the two things that are being compared aren't really alike in the relevant respects, the analogy is a weak one, and the argument that relies on it commits the fallacy of weak analogy.

polyptoton

Repetition of words derived from the same root ex. Choosy mother choose JIF

slippery slope

The arguer claims that a sort of chain reaction, usually ending in some dire consequence, will take place. The arguer asserts that if we take even one step onto the "slippery slope", we will end up sliding all the way to the bottom.

ad hominem

The reason for not believing so-and-so is that so-and-so is either a bad person or a hypocrite

sarcasm

Use of mockery, verbal taunts, or bitter irony. ex. If you be the son of God, descend from the cross —Matt. 27

oxymoron

a figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms ex. jumbo shrimp

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part ex. Listen, you've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels. One refers to a vehicle in terms of some of its parts, "wheels"

metaphor

a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity ex. For ever since that time you went away I've been a rabbit burrowed in the wood —Maurice Sceve

rhetorical question

a question asked for an effect, not actually requiring an answer ex. why are you so stupid

paradox

a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. ex. Whosoever loses his life, shall find it.

situational irony

an outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

strawman

anticipate and respond in advance to the arguments that an opponent might make; wimpy version of the opponent's position and trie to score points by knocking it down; defeating a watered down version of your opponents argument isnt very impressive either

begging the question

asks the reader to simply accept the conclusion without providing real evidence (circular reasoning)

post hoc

assuming that because B comes after A, A caused B.

non sequitor

claims, reasons, or warrants fail to connect logically; one point does not follow another.

simile

comparison using like or as ex. You are like a hurricane: there's calm in your eye, but I'm getting blown away —Neil Young

playing prejudice

diverting attention from reason to prejudice

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration ex. I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.

appeal to authority

impressing them with a famous name or by appealing to a supposed authority who really isn't that much of an expert

parenthesis

insertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical flow of the sentence ex. But what might you think, When I had seen this hot love on the wing— As I perceiv'd it (I must tell you that) Before my daughter told me—what might you, Or my dear Majesty your queen here, think...? —Shakespeare, Hamlet 2.2.131-35

chiasmus

inversion in the second of two parallel phrases ex. It is boring to eat; to sleep is fulfilling

hasty generalization

making assumptions about a whole group or range of cases based on a sample that is inadequate; stereotypes

appeal to ignorance

no conclusive evidence on the issue at hand, therefore, you should accept my conclusion on this issue

verbal irony

occurs when what is said contradicts what is meant or thought

isocolon

parallel structure in which the parallel elements are similar not only in grammatical structure, but also in length ex. I came, I saw, I conquered

parallelism

phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other ex. She tried to make her pastry fluffy, sweet, and delicate.

missing the point

premises of an argument do support a particular conclusion - but not the conclusion that the arguer actually draws.

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase as the beginning of successive clauses ex. Cannons to right of them, cannons to the left of them, cannons in front of them, volley and thunder

epistrophe

repetition of the ends of two or more successive sentences, verses, etc. ex. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny compared to what lies within us." —Emerson

anadiplosis

repetition of the final words of a sentence or line at the beginning of the next ex.The love of wicked men converts to fear, That fear to hate, and hate turns one or both To worthy danger and deserved death. —Shakespeare, Richard II 5.1.66-68

false dichotomy

sets up the situation so it looks like there are only two choices; the arguer then eliminates one of teh choices so it seems that we are left with only one option

red herring

the arguer goes off on a tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from whats really at stake

ad populam

the arguer takes advantage of the desire most people have to be liked and to fit in with others

antithesis

the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance ex. "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." —Abraham Lincoln

ellipsis

the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced for the context ex. John forgives Mary and Mary, John.

assonance

the repetition of similar vowels in the stressed syllables of successive words ex. The seargant asked him to bomb the lawn with hotpots.

anastrophe

the reversal of the normal order of words ex. Glistens the dew upon the morning grass. (Normally: The dew glistens upon the morning grass)

metonoymy

the substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually meant; one entity is used to stand for another associated entity ex. the pen is mightier than the sword

appeal to pity

to get people to accept conclusion by making them feel sorry for someone

alliteration

use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse ex. Why not waste a wild weekend at Westmore Water Park?

onomatopoeia

using words that imitate the sound they denote ex. The buzzing of innumerable bees

dramatic irony

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