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AP Language and Composition: The Language of Composition General Terms Flashcards

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7319926288rhetorical appealsRhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. The three major appeals are the ethos (character), logos (reason), and pathos (emotion).0
7319926289ethosGreek for "character." Speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic. Ethos is established by both who you are and what you say.1
7319926290counterargumentAn opposing argument to the one a writer is putting forward. Rather than ignoring a counterargument, a strong writer will usually address it through the process of concession and refutation.2
7319926291concession (concede)An acknowledgement that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable. In a strong argument, a concession is usually accompanied by a refutation challenging the validity of the opposing argument.3
7319926292refutation (refute)A denial of the validity of an opposing argument. In order to sound reasonable, refutations often follow a concession that acknowledges that an opposing argument may be true or reasonable.4
7319926293logosGreek for "embodied thought." Speakers appeal to logos or reason, by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up.5
7319926294connatationMeanings or associations that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition, or denotation. Connotations are usually positive or negative, and they can greatly affect the author's tone.6
7319926295pathosGreek for "suffering" or "experience." Speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally motivate their audience. More specific appeals to pathos might play on the audience's values, desires, and hopes, on the one hand, or fears and prejudices, on the other.7
7319926296Aristotelian Triangle(Rhetorical Triangle) a diagram that illustrates the interrelationship among the speaker, audience, and the subject in determining a text.8
7319926297audiencethe listener, viewer, or reader of a text. Most texts are likely to have multiple audiences9
7319926298contextIn the circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text.10
7319926299occasionThe time and place a speech is given or a piece is written.11
7319926300personaGreek for "mask." The face or character that a speaker shows to his or her audience.12
7319926301polemicGreek for "hostile." An aggressive argument that tries to establish the superiority of one opinion over all others. Polemics generally do not concede that opposing opinions have any merit.13
7319926302propagandaThe spread of ideas and information to further a cause. In its negative sense, propaganda is the use of rumors, lies, disinformation, and scare tactics in order to damage or promote a cause.14
7319926303purposeThe goal the speaker wants to achieve.15
7319926304rhetoricAs Aristotle defined the term, "the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion." In other words, it is the art of finding ways to persuade an audience.16
7319926305SOAPSA mnemonic device that stands for Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, and Speaker. It is a handy way to remember the various elements that make up the rhetorical situation.17
7319926306speakerThe person or group who creates a text. This might be a politician who delivers a speech, a commentator who writes an article, an artist who draws a political cartoon, or even a company that commissions an advertisement.18
7319926307subjectThe topic of a text. What the text is about.19
7319926308textWhile this terms generally means the written word, in the humanities it has come to mean any cultural product that can be "read"-meaning not just consumed and comprehended, but investigated. This includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, political cartoons, fine art, photography, performances, fashion, cultural trends, and much more.20
7319926309dictionthe speaker's choice of words21
7319926310syntaxhow the words are arranged22
7319926311tonethe speaker's attitude toward's the subject as revealed by his or her choice of language23
7319926312moodthe feeling created by the work24
7319926313metaphorFigure of speech that compares two things without using like or as.25
7319926314similesfigure of speech that compares two things using like or as26
7319926315personificationAttribution of a lifelike quality to an inanimate object or idea.27
7319926316hyperboleexaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken seriously28
7319926317parallelismSimilarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.29
7319926318juxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences.30
7319926319antithesisOpposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction.31
7319926320compound sentencea sentence with more than one subject or predicate32
7319926321complex sentencea sentence containing a subordinate clause or clauses33
7319926322periodic sentenceSentence whose main clause is withheld until the end.34
7319926323cumulative sentenceSentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on.35
7319926324imperative sentenceSentence used to command or enjoin.36
7319926325pacingHow fast a story unfolds. Do they reveal details quickly or slowly? How does he or she build suspense?37
7319926326figures of speecha word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage38
7319926327zeugmaUse of two different words in a grammatically similar way that produces different, often incongruous meanings.39
7319926328satirethe use of irony or sarcasm to criticize40
7319926329anaphoraRepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines.41
7319926330hortative sentenceSentence that exhorts, urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action.42
7319926331alliterationRepetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence.43
7319926332allusionBrief reference to a person, event, or place (real or fictitious) or to a work of art.44
7319926333antimetaboleRepetition of words in reverse order.45
7319926334archaic dictionOld-fashioned or outdated choice of words.46
7319926335AsyndetonOmission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.47
7319926336inversionInverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order).48
7319926337oxymoronParadoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another.49
7319926338rhetorical questionFigure of speech in form of a question posed for the rhetorical effect rather than for the purpose of getting an answer.50
7319926339synedocheFigure of speech that uses a part to represent a whole.51
7319926340imagerywhen a writer attempts to describe something that appeals to our five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing)52
7319926341argumentA process of reasoned inquiry; a persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and considered movement from claim to conclusion.53
7319926342Rogerian ArgumentsDeveloped by psychiatrist Carl Rogers, Rogerian arguments are based on the assumption that having a understanding of an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating.54
7319926343claimAlso called an assertion or a proposition, a claim states the argument's main idea or position. A claim differs from a topic or subject in that a claim has to be arguable.55
7319926344claim of factA claim of fact asserts that something is true or not true.56
7319926345claim of valueA claim of value argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong.57
7319926346claim of policyA claim of policy proposes a change.58
7319926347closed thesisA closed thesis is a statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make.59
7319926348open thesisAn open thesis statement is one that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay.60
7319926349counterargument thesisa summary of the counterargument, usually qualified by although or but, precedes the writer's opinion61
7319926350logical fallacy (fallacy)Logical fallacies are potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument. They often arise from a failure to make a logical connection between the claim and the evidence used to support it.62
7319926351red herringwhen a speaker skips to a new and irrelevant topic in order to avoid the topic of discussion63
7319926352ad hominemLatin for "to the man," this fallacy refers to the specific diversionary tactic of switching the argument from the issue at hand to the character of the other speaker. If you argue that a park in your community should not be renovated because the person supporting it was arrested during a domestic dispute, then you are guilty of ad hominem.64
7319926353faulty analogyA fallacy that occurs when an analogy compares two things that are not comparable. For instance, to argue that because we put animals who are in irreversible pain out of their misery, we should do the same for people, asks the reader to ignore significant and profound differences between animals and people.65
7319926354straw manA fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea.66
7319926355either/or (false dilemma)A fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possible choices.67
7319926356hasty generalizationA fallacy in which conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence.68
7319926357circular reasoningA fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence.69
7319926358first-hand evidenceEvidence based on something that the writer knows, whether it's from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge of events.70
7319926359second-hand evidenceEvidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation. It includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative data.71
7319926360post hoc ergo propter hocThis fallacy is Latin for "after which therefore because of which," meaning that it is incorrect to always claim that something is a clause just because it happened earlier. One may loosely summarize this fallacy by saying that correlation does not simply imply causation.72
7319926361appeal to false authorityThis fallacy occurs when someone who has no expertise to speak on a issue is cited as an authority. A TV star, for instance, is not a medical expert, even though pharmaceutical advertisements often use celebrity endorsements.73
7319926362quantitative evidenceQuantitative evidence includes things that can be measured, cited, counted, or otherwise represented in numbers-for instance, statistics, surveys, polls, census information.74
7319926363ad populum (bandwagon appeal)This fallacy occurs when evidence boils down to "everybody's doing it, so it must be a good thing to do."75
7319926364introduction (exordium)Introduces the reader to the subject under discussion.76
7319926365narration (narratio)Provides factual information and background material on the subject at hand or establishes why the subject is a problem that needs addressing.77
7319926366confirmation (confirmatio)Usually the major part of the text, the confirmation includes the proof needed to make the writer's case.78
7319926367refutation (refutatio)Addresses the counterargument. It is a bridge between the writer's proof and conclusion.79
7319926368conclusion (peroratio)Brings the essay to a satisfying close.80
7319926369inductionFrom the Latin inducere, "to lead into"; a logical process whereby the writer reasons from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called generalization.81
7319926370deductionDeduction is a logical process whereby one reaches a conclusion by starting with a general principal or universal truth (a major premise). The process of deduction usually demonstrated in the form of a syllogism.82
7319926371syllogismA logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion.83
7319926372Toulmin modelAn approach to analyzing and constructing arguments created by British philosopher Stephen Toulmin in his book The Uses of Argument (1985). The Toulmin model can be stated as a template: Because (evidence as support), therefore (claim), since (warrant or assumption), on account of (backing), unless (reservation).84
7319926373warrantIn the Toulmin model, the warrant expresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.85
7319926374assumptionIn the Toulmin model, the warrant expresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience.86
7319926375backingIn the Toulmin model, backing consists of further assurances or data without which the assumption lacks authority.87
7319926376qualifierIn the Toulmin model, the qualifier uses words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to temper the claim, making it less absolute.88
7319926377reservationIn the Toulmin model, a reservation explains the terms and conditions necessitated by the qualifier.89
7319926378rebuttalIn the Toulmin model, a rebuttal gives voice to possible objections.90
7319926379begging the questionA fallacy in which a claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. It "begs" a question whether the support itself is sound.91
7319926380the classical orationFive-part argument structure used by classical rhetoricians. The five parts are: -introduction (exordium) -narration (narratio) -confirmation (confirmatio) -refutation (refutatio) -conclusion (peroratio)92

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