Princeton Review - Chapter 7 Flashcards
Literary and Rhetorical Devices for Language Analysis (35 cards)
diction
(n.) choice of words, especially with regards to correctness, clarity, and effectiveness
syntax
(n.) the way in which linguistic elements (such as words) are put together to form constituents (such as phrases and clauses)
style
(n.) a distinctive manner of expression in speech and writing
tone
(n.) style or manner of expression in speech and writing
point of view
(n.) a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated
rhetoric
(n.) the art of speaking or writing effectively; skill in the effective use of speech
logos
(n.) persuasion technique that appeals to logic and reasoning
ethos
(n.) persuasion technique that appeals to the speaker’s credibility or authority
pathos
(n.) persuasion technique that appeals to the audience’s emotions
figurative language
(n.) type of communication that does not use a word’s strict or literal meaning, such as similes and metaphors
imagery
(n.) the use of visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in literary work
hyperbole
(n.) exaggerated statements or claims not to be taken literally
understatement
(n.) the presentation of something being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is
simile
(n.) a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind in order to make a description more empathetic or vivid; used with “like” or “as”
metaphor
(n.) figure of speech in a word/phrrase is applied to an object/action to which it is not literally applicale in order to compare or emphasize
extended metaphor
(n.) literary device that compares two things that are not alike in multiple lines, parapgraphs, or stanzas, and is a more complex, drawn-out version of a simple metaphor
symbol
(n.) a person, object, action, or situation that has a literal meaning but also represents something else, usually an abstract idea or belief
denotation
(n.) the literal or primary meaning of a word
connotation
(n.) an idea or feeling that a word invokes
oxymoron
(n.) figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction
paradox
(n.) a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true
personification
(n.) the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to soemthing nonhuman
rhetorical question
(n.) a question asked in order to create dramatic effect or make a point rather than get an actual answer
bombast
(n.) high-sounding language with little ot no meaning in order to impress