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AP Language Rhetorical Terms Flashcards

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11807894073ad homineman attack on the person rather than his ideas EX: Emma hasn't held a steady job since 2000.0
11807901331Allegorywork that functions on a symbolic level EX: All animals are equal but a few are more equal than others.1
11807904063AlliterationRepetition of initial consonant sounds EX:Sheep should sleep in a shed2
11807914909Allusiona reference to a historical, literary, biblical, or mythical event with which a reader should be familiar EX:Your backyard is a Garden of Eden3
11807932612Analogycomparison based on the like features of two unlike things: one familiar, the other unfamiliar EX: Finding a good man is like finding a needle in a haystack4
11807943632anaphorarepetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases , clauses, sentences, or verses EX:"O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?"5
11807953693anecdotea brief, often entertaining, story written or told in order to illustrate a point EX: My cat died in the woods, me and my sister found it the next day.6
11807966680Antithesisparallel structure that juxtaposes contrasting ideas EX: Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.7
11807972819antecedentnoun/pronoun to which a pronoun refers EX: The leaves have turned yellow; even then they are on the tree8
11807980283archaic languagewords/phrases that were once used regularly in a language but are now less common; old-fashioned, outdated language EX: To thine own self be true.9
11807992616argument from doubtful/unidentified authorityself explanatory EX:My cousin's sister's friend said that Julie was sleeping in class.10
11807996471assonanceRepetition of vowel sounds EX:Go slow over the road11
11807996472asyndetionomission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words EX: You mean to tell me we lost the dog, the house, the car?12
11808002382atmosphere/moodThe feeling created in a piece of writing. EX: This light-hearted, happy mood is shown with descriptions of laughter, upbeat song, delicious smells, and bright colors. A cheerful mood fills you with joy and happiness13
11808009098attitudethe relationship an author has toward his or her subject, and/or his or her audience EX: "All morons hate it when you call them a moron14
11808018833begging the questiontaking for granted from the start what you set out to demonstrate(repeating what is true is true) EX: Geometry is a waste of time, its not important.15
11808026188circular reasoningrestates the premise rather than giving a reason for holding the premise EX:I deserve to have a later curfew, so you should let me stay out until 10pm.16
11808032110colloquial languagewords/phrases occurring primarily in speech and informal language EX: I wasn't born yesterday17
11808041106comic reliefthe inclusion of a humorous character or scene to contrast with the tragic elements of a work EX: The Porter scene in Macbeth,18
11808055774connotationthe implied of a word EX:That woman is a dove at heart19
11808058733Denotationthe literal meaning or dictionary definition of a word EX: she recognized the lovely aroma of her mother's cooking. (Smell)20

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