exigence/exigency
the urgency that led to the creation of a text
rhetorical triangle
the interplay of text, speaker, and audience in the analysis of the rhetorical situation.
ad hominem argument
attacking another person's argument by attacking the person rather than the issue (attacking character rather than using logic or facts)
allegory
extended metaphor in which objects and persons perform a symbolic function; the characters are usually personifications of abstract qualities
alliteration
the repetition of initial identical consonant sounds or any vowel sounds in successive or closely associated words or syllables.
allusion
reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art
Analogy
a type of metaphor that compares two things in order to make a complex idea more understandable by referring it to a more familiar object.
Anaphora
repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines.
Anecdote
a short story that is told to prove a point.
Antithesis
a figure of speech characterized by strongly contrasting words, clauses, sentences, or ideas