AP Language Rhetorical Terms Flashcards

Running list of Rhetorical Terms, Definitions, and Examples

Also includes Fallacies, Definitions, and Examples

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