Running list of Rhetorical Terms, Definitions, and Examples
Also includes Fallacies, Definitions, and Examples
Terms : Hide Images
| 689814397 | Hyperbole | Exaggerating some part of your statement in order to give it emphasis or focus. Ex: "There are more reasons for NASA to fund a trip to Jupiter than there are miles in the journey." | 0 | |
| 689814398 | Understatement | The deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis Ex: "Whatever his faults, Sir Isaac Newton did have a fairly good mind for science." | 1 | |
| 689814399 | Litote | Similar to understatement, it emphasizes its point by using a word opposite to the condition. Ex: "The trip across the mountain was no easy journey." | 2 | |
| 689814400 | Antithesis | The use of a contrast in language to bring out a contrast in ideas. Ex: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." | 3 | |
| 689814401 | Hypophora | The tecnique of asking a question, then proceeding to answer it. Ex: "How do we know this is true? We have observed it in the lab?" | 4 | |
| 689814402 | Rhetorical Question | A technique where a question is asked, the answer is merely implied. Ex: "In this age of modernity, can we truly condone such horrific acts?" | 5 | |
| 689814403 | Procatalepsis | A technique where a question is asked that directly deals with objections. Ex: "Many other experts want to classify Sanskrit as an extinct language, but I do not." | 6 | |
| 689814404 | Distinctio | A rhetorcial form in which the writer elaborates on the definition of a word, to make suire there is no misundertanding. Ex: "Before we can discuss immigration, we need to agree on the fact that there are huge differences between legal and illegal immigration." | 7 | |
| 689814405 | Simile | A rhetorical device in which the writer compares two things that are already somewhat related using like, as, so Ex: The chain-link fence enclosed the playground like a giant net for children. | 8 | |
| 689814406 | Metaphor | A rhetorical device that speaks of one thing as if it is another. Ex: Dr. King was truly a king among men. | 9 | |
| 689814407 | Analogy | A comparison that makes use of something already well known to explain something that is less well known. Ex: Texting has become the playground note-passing of twenty-first century kids. | 10 | |
| 689814408 | Allusion | A reference to some fairly well-known event, place, or person. Ex: "This new war was Vietnam all over again." | 11 | |
| 689814409 | Eponym | A reference to a specific famous person to link his or her attributes with someone else. Ex: Gary was an Abe Lincoln in yesterday's debate." | 12 | |
| 689814410 | Sententia | A fancy term for a quotation, maxim, or wise saying. Ex: "As is often said, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." | 13 | |
| 689814411 | Exemplum | A device that provides the reader with examples to illustrate the point. Ex: "The U.S. government gives its citizens freedom; one illustration of this is that we have the right to criticize our leaders." | 14 | |
| 689814412 | Audience | The listener, viewer, or reader of a text | 15 | |
| 689814413 | Concession | 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. | 16 | |
| 689814414 | Connotation | Meaning or association that readers have with a word beyond its dictionary definition or denotation. | 17 | |
| 689814415 | Context | The circumstances, atmosphere, attitudes, and events surrounding a text | 18 | |
| 689814416 | Counterargument | An opposing argument to the one a writer is putting forward | 19 | |
| 689814417 | Ethos | Greek for "character" - established by both who you are and what you say | 20 | |
| 689814418 | Logos | Greek for "embodied thought" - an appeal to reason by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up | 21 | |
| 689814419 | Occasion | The time and place a speech is given or a piece is written. | 22 | |
| 689814420 | Pathos | Greek for "suffering" or "experience" - appeal to emotionally motivate an audience | 23 | |
| 689814421 | Persona | Greek for "mask" - the face or character that a speaker whos to his or her audience | 24 | |
| 689814422 | Polemic | Greek for "hostile" - an aggressive argument that tries to establish the superiority of one opinion over all others | 25 | |
| 689814423 | Propaganda | The spread of ideas and information to further a cause. | 26 | |
| 689814424 | Purpose | The goal the speaker wants to achieve | 27 | |
| 689814425 | Refutation | A denial of validity of an opposing argument | 28 | |
| 689814426 | Rhetoric | The faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion | 29 | |
| 689814427 | Rhetorical Appeals | Rhetorical techniques used to persuade an audience by emphasizing what they find most important or compelling. | 30 | |
| 689814428 | Rhetorical Triangle (Aristotelian Triangle) | A diagram that illustrates the interrelationship among the speaker, audience, and subject in determining a text. | 31 | |
| 689814429 | SOAPS | A mnemonic device that stands for Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, and Speaker | 32 | |
| 689814430 | Speaker | The person or group who creates a text. | 33 | |
| 689814431 | Subject | The topic of a text. | 34 | |
| 689814432 | Text | The written word | 35 | |
| 689814433 | Alliteration | Repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence. Ex: Let us go forth to lead the land we love... | 36 | |
| 689814434 | Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines Ex: ...not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need - not as a call to battle, though embattled we are... | 37 | |
| 689814435 | Antimetabole | Repetition of words in reverse order Ex: Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. | 38 | |
| 689814436 | Archaic Diction | Old-fashioned or outdated choice of words | 39 | |
| 689814437 | Asyndeton | Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words Ex: We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. | 40 | |
| 689814438 | Cumulative Sentence | Sentence that completes the main idea at the beginning of the sentence and then builds and adds on. | 41 | |
| 689814439 | Hortative Sentence | Sentence that exhorts, urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action. Ex: Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us. | 42 | |
| 689814440 | Imperative Sentence | Sentence used to comman or enjoin. Ex: My fellow citizens of the word: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. | 43 | |
| 689814441 | Inversion | Inverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order) Ex: United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is a little we can do... | 44 | |
| 689814442 | Juxtaposition | Placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences. Ex: We are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth...that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century... | 45 | |
| 689814443 | Oxymoron | Paradoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another Ex: But his peaceful revolution... | 46 | |
| 689814444 | Parallelism | Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses | 47 | |
| 689814445 | Periodic Sentence | Sentence whose main clause is withheld until the end | 48 | |
| 689814446 | Personification | Attribution of lifelike quality to an inanimate object or an idea | 49 | |
| 689814447 | Synedoche | Figure of speech that uses a part to represent a whole Ex: In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. | 50 | |
| 689814448 | Zeugma | Use of two different words in a grammatically similar way that produces different, often incongruous, meanings. Ex: Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need - not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden... | 51 | |
| 689814449 | Argument | A process of reasoned inquiry | 52 | |
| 689814450 | Backing | Further assurances or data without which the assumption lacks authority | 53 | |
| 689814451 | Claim | An assertion or proposition that states the main idea or position - it must be arguable | 54 | |
| 689814452 | Claim of Fact | A claim of fact that asserts that something is true or not true | 55 | |
| 689814453 | Claim of Policy | A claim of policy proposes a change | 56 | |
| 689814454 | Claim of Value | A claim of value argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong | 57 | |
| 689814455 | Closed Thesis | A statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the major points the writer intends to make | 58 | |
| 689814456 | Deduction | A logical process whereby one reaches a conclusion by starting with a general principle or universal truth (a major premise) and applying it to a specific case (minor premise) Major premise: Exercise contributes to better health Minor premise: Yoga is a type of exercise Conclusion: Yoga contributes to better health | 59 | |
| 689814457 | First-Hand Evidence | Evidence based on something the writer knows, whether it's from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge or events | 60 | |
| 689814458 | Induction | A logical process whereby the writer reasons from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called a generalization. Ex: Regular exercise promotes weight loss. Exercise lowers stress levels. Exercise improves mood and outlook. Exercise contributes to better health. | 61 | |
| 689814459 | Open Thesis | An open thesis is one that does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in an essay | 62 | |
| 689814460 | Qualifier | Uses words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to temper the claim, making it less absolute. | 63 | |
| 689814461 | Quantitative Evidence | Evidence that can be measured, cited, counted, or otherwise represented in numbers (surveys, census information, polls, statistics, etc.) | 64 | |
| 689814462 | Rebuttal | Gives voice to possible objections | 65 | |
| 689814463 | Reservation | The terms and conditions necessitated by the qualifier | 66 | |
| 689814464 | Rogerian Arguments | Based on the assumption that having a full understanding of an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating | 67 | |
| 689814465 | Second-Hand Evidence | Evidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation (factual and historical information, expert opinion, quantitative data) | 68 | |
| 689814466 | Syllogism | A logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion | 69 | |
| 689814467 | Toulmin Model | An approach to analyzing and constructing arguments created by Stephen Toulmin | 70 | |
| 689814468 | Warrant | Expresses the assumption necessarily shared by the speaker and the audience | 71 | |
| 689814469 | Ad Hominem | Latin for "against 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. | 72 | |
| 689814470 | Ad Populum (Bandwagon Appeal) | This fallacy occurs when evidence boils down to "everybody's doing it, so it must be a good thing to do." | 73 | |
| 689814471 | Appeal to False Authority | This fallacy occurs when someone who has no experience on an issue is cited as an authority. | 74 | |
| 689814472 | Begging the Question | A fallacy in which the claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. It "begs" a question whether the support itself is sound. Ex: Giving students easy access to a wealth of facts and resources online allows them to develop critical thinking skills. | 75 | |
| 689814473 | Circular Reasoning | A fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence. Ex: You can't give me a C; I'm an A student. | 76 | |
| 689814474 | Either/Or (False Dilemma) | A fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only choices. Ex: Either we agree to higher taxes, or our grandchildren will be mired in debt. | 77 | |
| 689814475 | Faulty Analogy | A fallacy occurs whn an analogy compares two things that are not comparable. | 78 | |
| 689814476 | Hasty Generalization | A fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence. Ex: Smoking isn't bad for you; my great aunt smoked a pack a day and lived to be 90. | 79 | |
| 689814477 | Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc | This fallacy is Latin for "after which therefore because of which," meaning that it is incorrect to always claim that something is caused just because it happened earlier. Correlation does not imply causation. Ex: We elected Johnson as president and look where it got us: hurricanes, floods, stock. | 80 | |
| 689814478 | Logical Fallacies | 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. | 81 | |
| 689814479 | Straw Man | A fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea. | 82 |
