AP Language Rhetorical Terms Flashcards

11383991388	chiasmus	A figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words.	0
11383991389	chiasmus	Ex. "The land was ours before we were the land's" - Robert Frost (N, V, Pro: Pro, V, N) "Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure" - Lord Byron	1
11383991390	colloquialism	The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing	2
11383991391	coherence	A principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible.	3
11383991392	conceit	A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. Displays intellectual cleverness as a result of the unusual comparison being made.	4
11383991393	connotation	The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.	5
11383991394	denotation	the dictionary definition of a word.	6
11383991395	diacope	repetition of a word or phrase after an intervening word or phrase	7
11383991396	diacope	Ex. We will do it, I tell you; we will do it. We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks (Psalm 75:1)	8
11383991397	didactic	Greek for "teaching".	9
11383991398	enumeration	Figure of amplification in which a subject is divided into constituent parts or details, and may include a listing of causes, effects, problems, solutions, conditions, and consequences; the listing or detailing of the parts of something.	10
11383991399	enumeration	Ex. I love her eyes, her hair, her nose, her cheeks, her lips. " "Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate; it's peppermint; it's delicious. . . It's very refreshing!" - Kramer (Seinfeld).	11
11383991400	expletive	Figure of emphasis in which a single word or short phrase, usually interrupting normal speech, is used to lend emphasis to the words on either side	12
11383991401	expletive	Ex. In fact, of course, to be sure, indeed, I suppose, I hope, you know, you see, clearly, in any event, in effect, certainly, remarkably.	13
11383991402	euphemism	Greek for "good speech". A more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept	14
11383991403	euphemism	Ex: "He passed away" instead of "He's dead"	15
11383991404	exposition	one of the four chief types of composition with the purpose of explaining something	16
11383991405	extended metaphor	a comparison developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout the work	17
11383991406	figure(s) of speech	Ex: hyperbole, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, synecdoche, simile	18
11383991407	genre	any major category of literature	19
11383991408	homily	literally means "sermon," but more informally can include an serious sermon, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice	20
11383991409	clause	A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.	21
11383991410	diction	A writer's or speaker's choice of words	22
11383991411	description	One of the four modes of discourse in which the author/speaker appeals to the five senses	23
11383991412	erudite	Scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic tone	24
11383991413	epistrophe	the repetition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences	25
11383991414	epistrophe	EX: Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."	26
11383991415	inference	To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.	27
11383991416	invective	an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attach using strong, abusive language	28
11383991417	irony	The difference between what appears to be and what actually is true.	29
11383991418	juxtaposition	When two words, phrases, images, ideas are placed close together or side by side for comparison or contrast.	30
11383991419	litotes	From the Greek word "simple" or "plain." It's a figure of thought in which a point is affirmed by negating its opposite, an understatement where the surface denial serves, through ironic contrast, to reinforce the underlying assertion	31
11383991420	litotes	Ex: He's no fool.	32
11383991421	loose sentence	a type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by independent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.	33
11383991422	metaphor	A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity.	34
11383991423	metonymy	A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name."	35
11383991424	metonymy	Ex: A news release that claims, "the White House declared" rather that "the President declared"	36
11383991425	narrative	the telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events	37
11383991426	onomatopoeia	a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words	38
11383991427	onomatopoeia	Exs: his, buzz, hum, crack	39
11383991428	oxymoron	From the Greek for "pointedly foolish"; a figure of speech where the author groups apparently contradictory terms	40
11383991429	oxymoron	Ex: jumbo shrimp	41
11383991430	genre	any major category of literature	42
11383991431	hyperbole	exaggeration	43
11383991432	hypophora	Figure of reasoning in which one or more questions is/are asked and then answered, often at length, by one and the same speaker	44
11383991433	hypophora	Ex. "When the enemy struck on that June day of 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth." - Dwight D. Eisenhower	45
11383991434	imagery	The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.	46
11383991435	meiosis	a combination of understatement and euphemism; a figure of speech which euphemistically refers to something, thereby lessening its significance	47
11383991436	meiosis	Ex: calling the violence in Northern Ireland "The Troubles."	48
11383991437	symbol	Anything that represents itself and stands for something else	49
11383991438	synecdoche	A type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole or the whole for a part	50
11383991439	synecdoche	Ex. Farmer Joe has two hundred head of cattle , and three hired hands. If we had some wheels, I'd put on my best threads and ask for Jane's hand in marriage.	51
11383991440	syntax	The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.	52
11383991441	theme	The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.	53
11383991442	thesis	A sentence that expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.	54
11383991443	tone	The writer/speaker's attitude toward his the text, the audience, or both.	55
11383991444	transition	A word or phrase that links different ideas.	56
11383991445	understatement	The ironic minimizing of fact	57
11383991446	wit	Intellectually amazing language that surprises and delights	58
11383991447	periodic sentence	A sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end.	59
11383991448	periodic sentence	For example: "Ecstatic with my AP score, I let out a loud, joyful shout!"	60
11383991449	personification	A figure of speech in which the author gives concepts, animals, or inanimate objects human qualities or emotions.	61
11383991450	polysyndeton	The deliberate and excessive use of conjunctions in successive words or clauses.	62
11383991451	polysyndeton	Ex: "It's [football] a way of life, really, to those particular people who are a part of it. It's more than a game, and regardless of what level it's played upon, it still demands those attributes of courage and stamina and coordinated efficiency and goes even beyond that for [it] is a means - it provides a mental and physical relaxation to everybody that watches it, like yourself."	63
11383991452	prose	One of the major divisions of genre; refers to fiction and non-fiction	64
11383991453	rhetorical question	Differs from hypophora in that it is not answered by the writer because its answer is obvious or obviously desired, and usually just a yes or no answer would suffice.	65
11383991454	paradox	a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but is actually true and valid	66
11383991455	parallelism	comes from the Greek roots meaning "beside one another"; refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity	67
11383991456	parallelism	Ex: "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..."	68
11383991457	parody	a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule	69
11383991458	pedantic	an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish	70
11383991459	personification	A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes	71
11383991460	personification	Ex: The delicious bread danced in my stomach.	72
11383991461	sarcasm	From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh"; harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule; may use irony	73
11383991462	satire	A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.	74
11383991463	allegory	The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.	75
11383991464	alliteration	Repetition of initial consonant sounds	76
11383991465	allegory	Ex. "Animal Farm" George Orwell	77
11383991466	alliteration	As in "she sells sea shells"	78
11383991467	allusion	A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.	79
11383991468	allusion	Ex. "Plan ahead: it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark"	80
11383991469	ambiguity	The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.	81
11383991470	analogy	A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them; may explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar.	82
11383991471	analogy	Ex. "He that voluntarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces, as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a lighthouse might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks."	83
11383991472	anaphora	One of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.	84
11383991473	anaphora	Ex. "They are masters who instruct us without rod or ferule, without angry words, without clothes or money."	85
11383991474	antecedent	The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.	86
11383991475	antithesis	Ex: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"	87
11383991476	antithesis	Figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences.	88
11383991477	aphorism	A statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.	89
11383991478	apostrophe	A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer.	90
11383991479	apostrophe	Ex. William Wordsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour:/England hath need of thee."	91
11383991480	asyndeton	Consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses.	92
11383991481	asyndeton	Ex. On his return he received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame. They spent the day wondering, searching, thinking, understanding.	93
11383991482	atmosphere	The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described.	94