AP Language Rhetorical Terms Flashcards

14796392593	Allusion	A reference to some famous literary work, historical figure, or event. For example, to say that a friend "has the patience of Job" means that he is as enduring as the biblical figure of that name. Allusions must be used with care lest the audience miss their meaning	0
14796392594	Argumentation	The writer's attempt to convince his reader to agree with him. It is based upon appeals to reason, evidence proving the argument, and sometimes emotion to persuade. Some arguments attempt to merely prove a point, but others go beyond proving to inciting the reader to action. At the heart of all argumentation lies a debatable issue	1
14796392595	Coherence	The principle of clarity and logical adherence to a topic that binds together all parts of a composition. A coherent essay is one who is parts, sentences, paragraphs, pages, are. Logically fused into a single whole. It's opposite is an incoherent essay—one that is jumbled, illogical, and unclear.	2
14796392596	description	A rhetorical mode used to develop an essay whose primary aim is to depict a scene, person, thing, or idea. Descriptive writing evokes the look, feel, sound, and sense of events, people, or things.	3
14796392597	Diction	word choice. Diction refers to the choice of words a writer uses in an essay or other writing. Implicit in the idea of addiction is a vast vocabulary of synonyms-different words that have more or less equivalent meanings. If only one word existed for every idea or condition, diction would not exist. But, since we have a choice of words with various shades of meaning, a writer can and does choose among words to express ideas. The diction of a skilled writers is determined by the audience and occasion of their writing.	4
14796392598	Exposition	Writing whose chief aim is to explain. Rather than showing, as in narration, exposition tells. A majority of essays contain some exposition because they need to convey information, give background, or tell how events occurred or processes work.	5
14796392599	Figurative language	Said of a word or expression used in a non—literal way. For example, the expression "to go the last mile" may have nothing at all to do with geographical distance, but may mean to complete an unfinished task or job.	6
14796392600	Hyperbole	A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Hyperboles have a comic effect however, a serious affect is also possible. Often, hyperbole produces irony at the same time.	7
14796392601	Irony	The use of language in such a way that a parent meaning contrasts sharply with the real meaning. One famous example is Antony's description of Brutus as "an honorable man". Since Brutus was one of Caesars assassins, Anthony meant just the opposite. Irony is a softer form of sarcasm and shares with it the same contrast between a parent and real meaning. In general, there are three major types of irony used in language.	8
14796392602	Image/imagery	An image is a phrase or expression that evokes a picture or describes a scene. An image May be either literal, in which it is a realistic attempt to depict with words what something looks like, or figurative, in which case the expression is used that likens the thing described to something else. (Example: "My Love is like a red, red rose)	9
14796392603	Verbal irony	when the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning	10
14796392604	situational irony	events turn out the opposite of what was expected. What the characters and readers think ought to happen is what does happen	11
14796392605	Dramatic irony	facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or a piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.	12
14796392606	Metaphor	A figurative image that implies the similarity between things otherwise dissimilar. When the poet Robert Frost states "I have been acquainted with the night," meaning that he has survived despair.	13
14796392607	Mood	The pervading impression made on the feelings of the reader. For instance, Edgar Allan Poe often creates a mood of horror in his short stories.	14
14796392608	Narration	An account of events as they happen. A narrative organized material on the basis of chronological order or pattern, stressing the sequence of events and pacing these events according to the emphasis desired.	15
14796392609	Oxymoron	From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," an oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness."	16
14796392610	Pacing	The speed at which a piece of writing moves along. Pacing depends on the balance between summarizing action and representing action in detail. Syntax can also affect pacing.	17
14796392611	Paradox	A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity. The first scene of Macbeth, for example, closes with the witches' cryptic remark "Fair is foul, and foul is fair."	18
14796392612	Parallelism	The principle of coherent writing requiring that coordinating elements be given the same grammatical form, as in Daniel Webster's dictum, "I was born an American; I will live an American; I will die an American."	19
14796392613	Parody	A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. As comedy, parody distorts or exaggerates distinctive features of the original. As ridicule, it mimics the work by repeating and borrowing words, phrases, or characteristics in order to illuminate weakness in the original.	20
14796392614	Personification	attributing human qualities to objects, abstractions, or animals: "'Tis beauty calls and glory leads the way."	21
14796392615	Point of view	The perspective from which a piece of writing is developed.	22
14796392616	Rhetoric	The art of using persuasive language. The art of analyzing all the choices involving language that a writer, speaker, reader, or listener might make in a situation so that the text becomes meaningful, purposeful, and effective.	23
14797902701	Rhetorical modes	This flexible term describes the variety, the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing.	24
14797902702	modes of discourse (rhetorical modes)	Exposition, argumentation, persuasive, narration	25
14797902703	Simile	a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things always using the words "like" "as" or "so" to introduce the comparison	26
14797902704	Slanting	The characteristic of selecting facts, words, or emphasis to achieve a preconceived intent. Favorable intent: "Although the Senator looks bored, when it comes time to vote he is on the right side of the issue." Unfavorable intent: "The Senator May vote on the right side of the issues, but he always looks bored."	27
14797902705	Style	the way a writer writes.	28