Rhetorical Analysis Vocab

Question 1

alliteration

Answer 1

the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sounds, and/or echo the sense of the passage.

Question 2

allusion

Answer 2

a direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art; can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical.

Question 3

analogy

Answer 3

a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them; can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. can make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging.

Question 4

anaphora

Answer 4

a sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences.

Question 5

antithesis

Answer 5

the opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite.

Question 6

appositive

Answer 6

nonessential word groups (phrases and clauses) that follow nouns and identify or explain them.

Question 7

archaic

Answer 7

language that is old-fashioned- not completely obsolete but not longer in current use; we analyzed the use in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

Question 8

colloquial/colloquialism

Answer 8

the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing; not generally accepted for formal writing, gives a work a conversational, familiar tone.

Question 9

connotation

Answer 9

the non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning (+, -, neutral)

Question 10

denotation

Answer 10

the strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.

Question 11

diction

Answer 11

related to style, it refers to the writer’s word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. complements author’s purpose. (formal/informal or ornate/plain)

Question 12

ethos

Answer 12

a person’s character; the characteristic spirit or prevalent tone of a people or a community; the essential identity of an institution or system; how the audience comes to trust the reader/speaker.

Question 13

hortative sentence

Answer 13

a sentence that urges, entreats, implores, or calls to action

Question 14

hyperbole

Answer 14

a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is possible. often produces irony.

Question 15

imagery

Answer 15

the sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions. physically: visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory or one image can represent more than one thing.

Question 16

irony/ironic

Answer 16

the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. often used to create humor.

Question 17

verbal irony

Answer 17

when the words literally state the opposite of the writer’s (or speaker’s) meaning

Question 18

situational irony

Answer 18

when events turn out the opposite of what was expected; when what the characters are readers think ought to happen is not what does happen.

Question 19

dramatic irony

Answer 19

when facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work; more common in fiction.

Question 20

juxtaposition

Answer 20

a rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, often creating an effect of surprise and wit.

Question 21

logos

Answer 21

how the author/speaker appeals to the audience’s sense of logic; the presentation of facts in a text.

Question 22

metaphor

Answer 22

a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things o the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful.

Question 23

metonymy

Answer 23

a term from the Greek meaning “changed label” or “substitute name;” a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. the substituted term carries a more potent emotional impact. Ex: “the White House declared” rather than “the President declared”

Question 24

mood

Answer 24

how the text makes the reader feel; the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. setting, tone and events can affect it.

Question 25

oxymoron

Answer 25

from the Greek for “pointedly foolish,” and it is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

Question 26

paradox

Answer 26

a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

Question 27

parallelism

Answer 27

comes from Greek roots meaning “beside one another.” it refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs, to give structural similarity. act as an organizing force to attract the reader’s attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm.

Question 28

pathos

Answer 28

a quality in an experience, narrative, literary work, etc., which arouses profound feelings, often of compassion or sorrow.

Question 29

personification

Answer 29

a figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions. used to make these abstractions, animals, or objects appear more vivid to the reader.

Question 30

prose

Answer 30

one of the major divisions of genre, it refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms. in this, the printer determines the length of the line; in poetry, the poet determines the length of the line.

Question 31

rhetoric

Answer 31

from the Greek for “orator,” this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

Question 32

rhetorical modes

Answer 32

this flexible term describes the variety. the conventions, and the purposes of the major kinds of writing.

Question 33

exposition (a rhetorical mode)

Answer 33

to explain and analyze information by presenting an idea, relevant evidence, and appropriate discussion.

Question 34

argumentation (a rhetorical mode)

Answer 34

to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound