an argument which appeals to emotion rather than to reason, to feeling rather than to intellect. | ||
device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. ex: Irving's "The Devil and Tom Walker" | ||
multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage | ||
a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. ex: "I don't think there's anything certainly more unseemly than the sight of a rock star in academic robes. It's a bit like when people put their King Charles spaniels in little tartan sweats and hats. It's not natural, and it doesn't make the dog any smarter." -- Bono 2010 Commencement Address at the University of Pennsylvania | ||
the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers. | ||
a terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. ex: "Your children need your presence more than your presents." (Jesse Jackson) | ||
an original model on which somethiing is patterned; universal character or detail used in much literature. ex: Prometheus -- the titan who gave fire to Man and is punished for eternity for disobeying Zeus. | ||
a statement put forth and supported by evidence | ||
a belief or statement taken for granted without proof. ex: Every driver in the United States understands road signs. | ||
a representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject's distinctive features or peculiarites are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect. ex: Democratic donkey, Republican elephant, Uncle Sam | ||
a figure of speech based on inverted parallelisms, usually in successvie clauses. ex: He labors without complaining and without bragging rests. | ||
an assertion, usually supported by evidence. | ||
a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. ex: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate . . . (Shakespeare, Sonnet 18) | ||
reasoning from general to specific | ||
literally means "instructive" -- didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. ex.: Hawthorne's THE SCARLET LETTER | ||
information that is demonstrable. | ||
extravagant exaggeration. ex: I said "rare," not "raw." I've seen cows hurt worse than this get up and get well. | ||
reasoning from specific to general | ||
a figure of speech that emphasizes its subject by conscious understatement. ex: Hitting that telephone pole certainly didn't do your car any good. | ||
an argument against an idea, usually regarding philosophy, politics, or religion. | ||
using several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted. ex: "We lived and laughed and loved and left." (James Joyce, FINNEGANS WAKE) | ||
a negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information. | ||
to discredit an argument, particularly in a counterargument. | ||
a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position. | ||
a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part. ex: Put Beethoven on the turntable and turn up the volume. |
Rhetorical Terms #2
Primary tabs
Need Help?
We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.
If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.
Need Notes?
While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!