Rhetorical Analysis Vocabulary – Flashcards
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From the Greek for "orator," it describes the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively
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Rhetoric
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A spoken, written, or visual text that expresses a point of view
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Argument
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Ethical Appeal. The self-image a writer creates to define a relationship with readers. Writers try to establish an ethos that suggests authority and credibility
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Ethos
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Logical Appeal. A strategy in which a writer uses facts, evidence, and reason to make audience members accept a claim.
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Logos
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Emotional Appeal. A strategy in which a writer tries to create specific emotions (such as fear, anger, pity, or envy) in an audience so it will accept a claim.
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Pathos
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a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience
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Rhetorical Triangle
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Describes the author's attitude towards his material, audience, or both.
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Tone
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When a writer moves from one tone to another in one piece of writing.
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Tone Shift
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An evaluation of the author's choices in diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.
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Style
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Sentence structure. The way in which an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. DECLARATIVE SENTENCE IMPERATIVE SENTENCE INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE SIMPLE SENTENCE COMPOUND SENTENCE JUXTAPOSITION PARALLEL STRUCTURE PARALLELISM REPETITION RHETORICAL QUESTION ANTITHESIS ANTECEDANT
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Syntax
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Makes a statement ("the King is sick")
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Declarative Sentence
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Gives a command ("Stand up.")
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Imperative Statement
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Asks a question ("The king is sick?)
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Interrogative Statement
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contains one subject and one verb ("The team played very well.")
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Simple Sentence
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contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but) or by a semi-colon. (The team played very well, but they still have to play Hanover."
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Compound Sentence
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Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts
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Juxtaposition
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the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures PARALLELISM REPETITION
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Parallel Structure
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phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other. ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
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Parallelism
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the repeated use of the same word or word pattern as a rhetorical device ("I have a dream...I have a dream...I have a dream")
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Repetition
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one that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience. (The answer is usually obvious.)
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Rhetorical Question
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the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance
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Antithesis
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The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
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Antecedant
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language that is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense. It is used to create vivid imagery. SIMILE METAPHOR PERSONIFICATION ALLUSION UNDERSTATEMENT PARADOX OXYMORON SYNECDOCHE PUN IRONY SARCASM ALLEGORY ALLITERATION APHORISM METONYMY SYMBOL
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FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
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comparing two unlike things using "like" or "as"
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Simile
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a comparison of two unlike things without using the word "like" or "as"
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Metaphor
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A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
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Personification
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a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art
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Allusion
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the opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended.
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Understatement
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an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth.
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Paradox
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conjoining contradictory terms (as in 'deafening silence')
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Oxymoron
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a humorous play on words
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Pun
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a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens
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Irony
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from the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device.
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Sarcasm
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The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.
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Allegory
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repetition of initial consonant sounds
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Alliteration
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A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.
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Aphorism
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substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself ("they counted heads")
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Metonymy
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something that stands for something else
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Symbol
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Patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include: NARRATION DESCRIPTION ARGUMENTATION EXPOSITION DEFINITION COMPARE/CONTRAST
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Rhetorical Modes
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retelling an event or series of events
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Narration
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the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch.
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Description
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a pattern of writing or speaking which is characterized by reason and logic, and asserts a position, belief or conclusion.
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Argumentation
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writing or speech that explains a process or presents information
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Exposition
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A method of informing that explains something by identifying its meaning
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Definition
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A text structure that tells how two or more things, people, places, or ideas are alike and different.
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Compare/contrast
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a form of argumentation that uses language to convince through appeals to reason or emotion.
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Persuasion
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a highly structured form of an argument developed in ancient Greece and Rome to defend or refute a thesis. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND LINES OF ARGUMENT ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENTS CONCLUSION
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Classical Oration
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A model stating that a complete argument is composed of evidence, a claim, and a warrant and may include backing, reservations, and qualifiers.
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Toulmin Argument
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a modern method of argumentation that tries to find mutually agreeable solutions to problems by seeking common ground, building trust, and reducing threat.
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Rogerian Argument
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an assertion that something is true or factual
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Claim
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The part of an argument wherein a speaker or writer anticipates and counters opposing points of view.
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Refutation
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a reluctant acknowledgment or yielding
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Concession
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A method of reasoning in which a number of specific facts or examples are used to make a generalization
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Inductive Reasoning
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reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case
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Deductive Reasoning
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a three-part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise ("All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal.")
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Syllogism
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A syllogism with one term understood but not stated. ("Socrates is mortal becasue he is a human being."
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Enthememe
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an error in reasoning
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Fallacy
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Diction
