Neumeister's Handbook
63631700 | Diction | Words chosen to convey a certain effect | 0 | |
63631701 | Formal Diction | contains vocab that creates an elevated tone; devoid of slang, contractions, colloquialisms, etc. | 1 | |
63631702 | Neutral Diction | uses standard language and vocabulary without elaborate words; may include contractions | 2 | |
63631703 | informal Diction | language of everyday use | 3 | |
63631704 | Abstract | refers to language that denotes ideas, emotions, conditions, or concepts that are intangible | 4 | |
63631705 | Colloquial/vernacular | nonstandard, often regional ways of using language used for informal writing purposes | 5 | |
63631706 | concrete | specific, tangible words to describe physical qualities or conditions (Cold mountain) | 6 | |
63631707 | connotative | using implicit meaning of a word; consists of suggestions, associations, and emotional overtones attached to a word | 7 | |
63631708 | denotative | precise, literal definition of a word that carries no emotional association | 8 | |
63631709 | dialectical | nonstandard subgroup of a language with its own vocabulary and grammatical features | 9 | |
63631710 | Jargon | words/expressions/terms used in a particular trade or profession | 10 | |
63631711 | nonstandard/slang | informal words/idioms that often characterize a certain place/time/culture (We're fixin' to go to church) | 11 | |
63631712 | Synesthesia | describing one sensory impression with words that normally describe another (white heat; loud sweater) | 12 | |
63631713 | schemes | artful variation from the typical or expected arrangement of words and sentences | 13 | |
63631714 | antithesis | opposition of words, phrases or idea, often in parallel structures (Do as i say, not as i do) | 14 | |
63631715 | Chiasmus | rhetorical inversion of the second of 2 parallel structures (She went to the mall;to the game went he) | 15 | |
63631716 | anadiplosis | rhetorical repetition at the beginning of a phrase or the words or words with which the previous phrase ended (Once you change your thought pattern. Once you change your thought pattern, you change your attitude) | 16 | |
63631717 | anaphora | repetition of a word or phrase as the beginning of successive clauses (We passed the fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the setting sun) | 17 | |
63631718 | antimetabole | the repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order (All for one, and one for all) | 18 | |
63631719 | epanalepsis | repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause (Say what you mean and mean what you say) | 19 | |
63631720 | epistrophe | repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect (as Lincoln's "of the people, by the people, for the people") | 20 | |
63631721 | polypton | repetition of words derived from the same root (Agitated agitators agitating) | 21 | |
63631722 | tropes | artful variations of modes of expression | 22 | |
63631723 | Allusion | a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art (Sally had a face that could launch a thousand ships - allusion to The Odyssey) | 23 | |
63631724 | Aphorism/Maxim/Proverb | A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life. (Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm - Emerson) | 24 | |
63631725 | Apostrophe | A direct address to an absent person or thing as if it were present and sentient. A figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction. | 25 | |
63631726 | Litotes | -opposite of hyperbole- a type of meiosis (understatement) in which the negation of a positive is used for rhetorical effect (It wasn't everyday that a man went to the moon) | 26 | |
63631727 | malapropsim | ludicrous misuse of a word (I resemble that remark rather than resent) | 27 | |
63631728 | conceit | an extended witty, paradoxical, or startling metaphor (Shall i compare thee to a summer's day?/ Thou are more lovely and more temperate) | 28 | |
63631729 | euphemism | an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive (he passed away instead of he died) | 29 | |
63631730 | idiom | turn of phrase that is culturally understood but doesn't quite make sense if taken literally (I'll get out of your hair) | 30 | |
63631731 | synecdoche | using a part of something to represent the whole thing (all hands on deck) | 31 | |
63635979 | oxymoron | conjoining contradictory terms (as in 'deafening silence') | 32 | |
63635980 | paradox | a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. (his silence is deafening) | 33 | |
63635981 | Pun | a humorous play on words (You go Uruguay and I'll go mine) | 34 | |
63635982 | Meiosis | understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary) (After not sleeping for two days, one could say he was slightly tired) | 35 | |
63635983 | juxtaposition | when normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are contrasted next to one another to create an effect or surprise and wit | 36 | |
63635984 | epithet | nickname or adj/descriptive phrase that is regularly used to describe a person or place (Honest Abe, Big Apple) | 37 | |
63635985 | syntax | the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences | 38 | |
63635986 | appositive | placing next to a noun another noun or phrase that explains it (Kenney Chesney, her favorite singer) | 39 | |
63635987 | parentheses | insertion of one or more words, phrase, or sentences that are not syntactically related to the rest of the sentence | 40 | |
63635988 | balanced sentence | when phrases or clauses balance each other by virtue or their likeness of structure, meaning, or length (Ask not what your country can do for you: ask what you can do for your country) | 41 | |
63635989 | anastrophe | involves constructing a sentence so the predicate comes before the subject (In california grow the oranges) | 42 | |
63637410 | Loose sentence | main clause comes at beginning and makes complete sense before the sentence ends (We reached San Diego that morning after a long flight and some exciting experiences, tired but exhilarated) | 43 | |
63637411 | Periodic sentence | Main clause comes at the end and makes sense only at the end of the sentence ( Tired but exhilarated after a long flight and some exciting experiences, we reached San Diego that morning) | 44 | |
63639137 | ellipsis | use of three periods(or dash) in a row (... or - ) to indicate elapsed time or omitted words | 45 | |
63639138 | zeugma | when one word refers to two unrelated words (He stole both her car and her heart) | 46 | |
63639139 | asynedton | omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses (I came, I saw, I conquered) | 47 | |
63639140 | polysyndeton | deliberate use of many conjunctions to emphasize quantity or to create a flowing, continuous pattern | 48 | |
63639141 | parallel structure | refers to a grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of a sentences. Elements of equal importance should be similarly phrased (Because it was the right thing to do) | 49 | |
63639142 | repetition | repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis | 50 | |
63639143 | rhetorical fragment | sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose or to create a desired effect (Because it was the right thing to do) | 51 | |
63639144 | sentence patterns | the way the words, phrases, and clauses are arranged in a piece (i.e. sentence variety) | 52 | |
63640473 | declarative sentence | makes a statement | 53 | |
63640474 | imperative sentence | gives a command | 54 | |
63640475 | interrogative sentence | asks a question | 55 | |
63640476 | ethos | establishes credibility of the speaker; appeals to the audience's moral principles | 56 | |
63640477 | logos | gives hard evidence, examples, statistics, expert opinions and appeals to the audience's rational judgement | 57 | |
63640478 | pathos | appeals to the emotions of the audience through strong images or words that evoke joy, despair, anger, sorrow, empathy, etc. | 58 | |
63640479 | narration | used to explain how a person or situation changes over a period of time; may have an underlying moral | 59 | |
63640480 | anecdote (narration) | short story used to introduce, support or explain a larger point | 60 | |
63640481 | chronological ordering (narration) | explaining events in the order in which they occur | 61 | |
63640482 | cause and effect (narration) | explains how one even impacted another | 62 |