Rhetorical Elements
Simile
A stated comparison of two different things or ideas through the use of the words like or as.
Paradox
A statement containing contradictory elements that may appear illogical, impossible, or absurd but which actually have a coherent meaning that reveals a hidden truth.
Testimonial
A statement in support of a particular truth, fact, or claim.
Rhetorical Shift
A turn, a change, or a movement in a text resulting from an epiphany, realization, or insight gained by the speaker or writer.
Invective
Abusive and negative language that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution.
Concession
Acknowledgment of the opposing argument as true or reasonable. A strong argument might have a concession paired with a refutation (segment to challenge the validity of the opposing argument).
Ethos
An appeal to credibility or trustworthiness of the speaker or writer of a text; achieved by who you are and what you say.
Logos
An appeal to reason by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up.
Pathos
An appeal to sympathy or empathy in an attempt to emotionally motivate the audience in a particular way (ex, positives might be values, desires, or hopes while negatives might be fears or prejudices)
Counterargument
An opposing argument to the one the writer is putting forward. A strong writer will usually address this to help strengthen his/her claim.
Hypophora
The speaker asks a question and then continues to answer the question for the audience as a way of controlling their thought.
Audience
The specific listener, viewer, or reader of a text; may have more than one.
Euphemism
The use of a word or phrase that is less expressive or direct but considered less distasteful or offensive than another.
Irony
The use of words to convey a meaning that is different than what is expected.
Anecdote
A short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.
Analogy
A comparison between two things intended to show how they are alike.
Metaphor
A comparison of two unlike things not using like or as.
Hyperbole
A deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration used for either serious or comic effect.
Juxtaposition
A device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, often creating an effect of surprise and wit.
Antithesis
A device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect.
Repetition
A device in which words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once to enhance rhythm and to create emphasis.
Trope
A figure of speech in which the words carry a meaning other than their literal sense. (These are all of the figures of speech - the figurative language - you know and love: simile, metaphor, personification, pun, hyperbole, and apostrophe.)
Oxymoron
A form of paradox that combines a pair of opposite terms into a single unusual expression.
Parallelism
A grammatical or structural arrangement of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs so that elements of equal importance are equally developed and similarly phrased.
Understatement
A kind of irony that deliberately represents something as being much less than it really is.
Personification
A kind of metaphor that gives inanimate objects or abstract ideas human characteristics.
Rhetorical Question
A question asked solely to produce an effect or to make an assertion and not to elicit a reply.
Allusion
A reference to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place or thing.
Rhetorical Fragment
A sentence fragment used deliberately to emphasize a specific point.
Statistics
Numerical facts or data used as evidence.
Restatement
Repeating the ideas of what has been said using different words.
Epiphora
Repetition of words at the ends of lines.
Asyndeton
The deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
Polysyndeton
The deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis—to highlight quantity or mass of detail or to create a flowing, continuous sentence pattern; it slows the pace of the sentence.
Jargon
The language, especially the vocabulary, specific to a particular trade, profession, or group.
Persona
The personality that a speaker assumes to help reach the audience.
Alliteration
The repetition of beginning consonant sounds in several consecutive or neighboring words.
Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses; it helps to establish a strong rhythm and produces a powerful emotional effect.
Exclamation
Use of strong emotion to help the author move the audience; generally has an exclamation.
Connotative Diction
Words chosen deliberately for the feelings and attitudes associated with them.