Rhetorical Analysis Glossary

part of the rhetorical triangle-- involves logical thinking & reason

part of the rhetorical triangle---establishes authority/credibility

part of the rhetorical triangle---evokes a specific emotion to persuade

tapping into the audience’s sense of fear and anxiety in order to persuade

relying on people’s sympathy to persuade them

relying on people’s need to feel good about themselves to persuade

calling on one’s community spirit, specifically on one’s love of country in an attempt to persuade

a figure of speech that makes a reference to a literary work (establishes credibility) or to a place, person, or event. This can be real or imaginary and may refer to anything, including fiction, folklore, historical, events, or religious manuscripts. The reference can be direct or may be inferred, and can broaden the reader’s understanding.

a comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation or clarification

Telling a story (narrative) to prove a point.

making a concept or idea definite, distinct, and clear.

charged words, loaded language; using specific words to achieve a purpose; builds tone

providing example(s) to prove a point.

comparing two things close together (side by side) to create a contrasting effect

>>used as a verb: The author juxtaposes light and dark imagery to...

to make a comparison between two things that aren't alike but do have something (very important) in common.
*extended metaphor (continues throughout)

using the same pattern of words to illustrate that the ideas have the same level of importance; the technique of arranging words, phrases, clauses, or larger structures by placing them side by side and making them similar in form. Parallel structure may be as simple as listing two or three modifiers in a row to describe the same noun or verb; it may take the form of two or more of the same type of phrases (prepositional, participial, gerund, appositive) that modify the same noun or verb; it may also take the form of two or more subordinate clauses that modify the same noun or verb. Or, parallel structure may be a complex blend of single-word, phrase, and clause parallelism all in the same sentence.

a question that is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer; often the answer is already known or obvious.

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses or lines.
*We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. --Churchill.

repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.
*In 1931, ten years ago, Japan invaded Manchukuo -- without warning. In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia -- without warning. In 1938, Hitler occupied Austria -- without warning. In 1939, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia -- without warning. Later in 1939, Hitler invaded Poland -- without warning. And now Japan has attacked Malaya and Thailand -- and the United States --without warning. --Franklin D. Roosevelt

opposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction.
*Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. --Barry Goldwater
*Brutus: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Shakespeare, --Julius Caesar

is the attribution of human characteristics and qualities to non-human beings, objects, natural, or supernatural phenomena. A form of personification (applying human or animal qualities to inanimate objects), anthropomorphism is similar to prosopopoeia (adopting the persona of another person). Animals, the forces of nature, and unseen or unknown authors of chance are frequent subjects of anthropomorphosis.

lack of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words.
*We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardships, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. --J. F. Kennedy, Inaugural
*But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. --Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally; exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, amplification
*She has had a smile for days.
*The shipping is a million dollars.

understatement, for intensification, by denying the contrary of the thing being affirmed. (Sometimes used synonymously with meiosis In literature, statements that deliberately downplay a situation, or understatements that serve to actually highlight a situation and create dramatic irony, are referred to as meiosis.)
*A few unannounced quizzes are not inconceivable.
*War is not healthy for children and other living things.
*One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day. (meiosis)

substitution of one word for another which it suggests.
*The pen is mightier than the sword.
*The White House...

understanding one thing with another; the use of a part for the whole, or the whole for the part. (A form of metonymy.)
*Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6
*The U.S. won three gold medals. (Instead of, The members of the U.S. boxing team won three gold medals.)

apparent paradox achieved by the juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another.
*I must be cruel only to be kind. Shakespeare, --Hamlet

an assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but that may yet have some truth in it.
*What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young. -George Bernard Shaw

the repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses.
*I said, "Who killed him?" and he said, "I don't know who killed him but he's dead all right," and it was dark and there was water standing in the street and no lights and windows broke and boats all up in the town and trees blown down and everything all blown and I got a skiff and went out and found my boat where I had her inside Mango Bay and she was all right only she was full of water.
--Hemingway, After the Storm

two different words linked to a verb or an adjective which is strictly appropriate to only one of them. _________ occurs when a word (usually a verb) has the same grammatical relation to two or more other words, but a different meaning in each application. He caught three trout and a cold.

refers to language that describes concepts rather than concrete images ( ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places). The observable or “physical” is usually described in concrete language.

an extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric.

a short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effect or to make a point.

Explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data.

a short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life: “Early bird gets the worm.”

usually in poetry but sometimes in prose; the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction

writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting
reasoned arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation

harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony.

descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person’s appearance or a facet of personality.

a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y’all, ain’t)

quality of a piece of writing in which all the parts contribute to the development of the central idea, theme, or organizing principle

Language that describes specific, observable things, people, or places, rather than ideas or qualities.

implied or suggested meaning of a word because of its association in the reader’s mind

repetition of identical consonant sounds within two or more words in close proximity, as in boostest; it can also be seen within several compound words, such as fulfill and ping- pong

a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; it may also be a paradox or difficult problem

the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example

literal meaning of a word as defined

the picturing in words of something or someone through detailed observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch; one of the four modes of discourse

word choice, an element of style; Diction creates tone, attitude, and style, as well as meaning. Different types and arrangements of words have significant effects on meaning. An essay written in academic diction would be much less colorful, but perhaps more precise than street slang.

writing whose purpose is to instruct or to teach. A didactic work is usually formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns. Didactic writing may be fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking.

spoken or written language, including literary works; the four traditionally classified modes of discourse are description, exposition, narration, and persuasion.

the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme. Hemingway begins The Sun Also Rises with two epigraphs. One of them is “You are all a lost generation” by Gertrude Stein.

a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable. “He went to his final reward” is a common euphemism for “he died.” Euphemisms are also often used to obscure the reality of a situation. The military uses “collateral damage” to indicate civilian deaths in a military operation.

a succession of harmonious sounds used in poetry or prose; the opposite of cacophony

An individual instance taken to be representative of a general pattern. Arguing by
example is considered reliable if examples are demonstrable true or factual as well as relevant.

The art of interpreting or discovering the meaning of a text. Explication usually involves close reading and special attention to figurative language.

the immediate revelation to the audience of the setting and other background information
necessary for understanding the plot; also, explanation; one of the four modes of discourse

When a writer bases a claim upon an isolated example or asserts that a claim is certain
rather than probable. Sweeping generalizations occur when a writer asserts that a claim
applies to all instances instead of some.

a type of literary work, such as a novel or poem; there are also subgenres, such as science fiction or sonnet, within the larger genres

anything that causes laughter or amusement; up until the end of the Renaissance, humor meant a person’s temperament

deliberate exaggeration in order to create humor or emphasis (Example: He was so
hungry he could have eaten a horse.)

A word or words, either figurative or literal, used to describe a sensory experience or an object perceived by the sense. An image is always a concrete representation.

words or phrases that use a collection of images to appeal to one or more of the five senses in order to create a mental picture

the process that moves from a given series of specifics to a generalization

a conclusion one can draw from the presented details

a verbally abusive attack

reversing the customary (subject first, then verb, then complement) order of elements in a sentence or phrase; it is used effectively in many cases, such as posing a question: “Are you going to the store?” Usually, the element that appears first is emphasized more than the subject.

The special language of a profession or group. The term jargon usually has pejorative Associations with the implication that jargon is evasive, tedious, and unintelligible to outsiders. The writings of the lawyer and the literary critic are both susceptible to _________

Songlike; characterized by emotions, subjectivity, and imagination.

the method or form of a literary work; the manner in which a work of literature is written

similar to tone, mood is the primary emotional attitude of a work (the feeling of the work; the atmosphere). Syntax is also a determiner of mood because sentence strength, length, and complexity affect pacing.

the telling of a story in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama; one of the four modes of discourse

an impersonal presentation of events and characters. It is a writer’s attempt to remove himself or herself from any subjective, personal involvement in a story. Hard news journalism is frequently prized for its objectivity, although even fictional stories can be told without a writer rendering personal judgment.

When a writer obscures or denies the complexity of the issues in an argument

the movement of a literary piece from one point or one section to another

a short tale that teaches a moral; similar to but shorter than an allegory

a work that ridicules the style of another work by imitating and exaggerating its elements; utterly mocking or gently humorous; depends on allusion, exaggeration, and distortion of the original style & content.

a term used to describe writing that borders on lecturing. It is scholarly and academic and often overly difficult and distant

a form of argumentation, one of the four modes of discourse; language intended to convince through appeals to reason or emotion.

an element in literature that conveys a realistic portrayal of a specific geographical locale, using the locale and its influences as a major part of the plot

Word or phrase used two or more times in close proximity

exposition, description, narration, argumentation

one that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience.

harsh, caustic personal remarks to or about someone; less subtle than irony

A work that reveals a critical attitude toward some element of human behavior by portraying it in an extreme way. Satire doesn’t simply abuse (as in invective) or get personal (as in sarcasm). Satire targets groups or large concepts rather than individuals.

the voice of a work; an author may speak as himself or herself or as a fictitious persona

a character who represents a trait that is usually attributed to a particular social or racial group and who lacks individuality; a conventional patter, expression or idea.

an author’s characteristic manner of expression – his or her diction, syntax, imagery, structure, and content all contribute to ______

a personal presentation of evens and characters, influenced by the author’s feelings and opinions

A form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from
them. A syllogism is the format of a formal argument that consists of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. Example: Major Premise: All tragedies end unhappily. Minor Premise: Hamlet is a tragedy. Conclusion: Therefore, Hamlet ends unhappily

Ability to create a variety of sentence structures, appropriately complex and/or simple
and varied in length.

Sentence structures that are extraordinarily complex and involved. They are often
difficult for a reader to follow

the grammatical structure of a sentence; the arrangement of words in a sentence. Syntax includes length of sentence, kinds of sentences (questions, exclamations, declarative sentences, rhetorical questions, simple, complex, or compound).

the central idea or “message” or a literary work

the main idea of a piece of writing. It presents the author’s assertion or claim. The effectiveness of a presentation is often based on how well the writer presents, develops, and supports the ________.

the characteristic emotion or attitude of an author toward the characters, subject, and audience (anger, sarcastic, loving, didactic, emotional, etc.)

a word or phrase that links one idea to the next and carries the reader from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph.

the opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended.

Verbs acting as another part of speech

Noun (camping, kayaking, studying)

Adjective/introduces a describing phrase/clause (rising sun, boiling water)

adjective (The lake is the place to be.), noun (To wait any longer seemed foolish.), adverb (To qualify to be a teacher, you need a good recommendation.

refers to two different areas of writing. One refers to the relationship between a sentence’s subject and verb (active and passive voice). The second refers to the total “sound” of a writer’s style