Parallelism
a set of similarly structured words, phrases, or clauses
Ex: We are giving away our furniture, selling our house and moving to Spain.
Litotes
understatement of an affirmative by using a negative description
Ex: He is not the cleverest person I have ever met.
Allusion
a reference to another text or assumed knowledge of a reference
- Types of Allusion: Biblical, Literary, Shakespearean, mythological, historical, pop culture, artistic, film
Ex: He was the Albert Einstein of his time.
Antithesis
the placing of opposite ideas within the same sentence to emphasize their disparity
Ex: "It was the best of times; it was the worse of times.
Euphemism
an inoffensive expression that's substituted for one that is considered offensive or harsh
Ex: Put to sleep vs Euthanize
Synecdoche
using part of a thing to represent the whole thing
Ex: "All hands on deck.
Ad hominem
In an argument, an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's idea
Ex: He is a liar and a cheat.
Red-herring
when a writer raises an irrelevant issue to draw attention away from the real issue
Ex: There is a lot of commotion regarding saving the environment. We cannot make this world an Eden. What will happen if it does become Eden? Adam and Eve got bored there!
Non-Sequitur
when one statement isn't logically connected to another
Ex: Racism is wrong. Therefore we need affirmative action.
Oxymoron
a figure of speech composed of contradictory words
Ex: "dull roar" "pretty ugly" "wise fool" "cold fire" "bitter sweet
Hyperbole
deliberate exaggeration for emphasis
Ex: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
Apostrophe
an address to the dead as if living; to the inanimate as if animate; to absent as if present; to the unborn as if alive
Usually start with "O"
Ex: "For Brutus, as you know was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him
Syllogism
a form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them
Ex: All tragedies end unhappily. Hamlet is a tragedy. Therefore Hamlet ends unhappily.
Malapropism
absurd or humorous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound
Ex: He used a fire distinguisher.
Periodic Sentence
Long sentence where your point is at the end
Ex: In spite of heavy snow and cold temperatures, the game continued.
Paradox
statement that appears contradictory but has some truth
Ex: I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.
Anadiplosis
repeats the last word of one phrase, clause, or sentence at or very near beginning of next
Ex: "Turn the lights out now
Now I'll take you by the hand
Hand you another drink
Drink it if you can
Can you spend a little time,
Time is slipping away away from u
Simile
comparison of unlike objects using "like" or "as"
Ex: Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
Anaphora
repetition of word(s), phrase(s), or clause(s) at beginning of two or more sentences in a row; helps make point more coherent
Ex: "My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration.
Epistrophe
the repetition of group of words at the end of successive clauses
Ex: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil
Metonymy
figure of speech that uses name of a noun to represent something with which it is associated with
Ex: The pen is mightier than the sword
Exigence
urgency; something that demands prompt action or remedy
Problem that needs to be address
Anecdote
a short simple narrative of an incident; often used for humorous effects
Periphrasis
the substitution of an attributive word or phrases for a proper name, or the use of a proper name to suggest a personality characteristic
Ex: "The manner in which you have conducted yourself in my presence of late has caused me to feel uncomfortable and h
Polysyndeton
repetition of conjunctions in a sense of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses; slows down the pacing
Ex: "Marge and Susan and Anne and Daisy and Barry all planned to go for a picnic
Irony
situation/statement in which the actual outcome or meaning is opposite to what is expected
Three Types: situational, dramatic, verbal
Ex: The name of Britain's biggest dog was "Tiny.
Jargon
specialized words of a particular group
Ex: "Bang for the buck" "Nasal symptoms
Asyndeton
omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses; speeds up pace
Ex: We went to the park, played on the jungle gym, ran around, had a picnic...
Syntax
the order of words in a sentence
Assonance
similar vowel sounds repeated in successive or proximate words
Ex: She seems to beam rays of sunshine with her eyes of green.
Metaphor
a comparison between two unlike things
Ex: Everyday is a winding road.
Personification
attributing human qualities to an abstract idea or and inanimate object
Ex: The flowers danced in the gentle breeze.
Imagery
language that appeal to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell
Ex: It was dark and dim in the forest.
Pun
a play on the meaning of words that relies on a word having more than one meaning or sounding like another word
Ex: a mender of soles
Onomatopoeia
refers to the use of words whose sound reinforces their meaning
Ex: Crackle/Bang/Pop
Alliteration
repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words; effect: to increase memory retention, add emphasis and/or to create a rhythm
Ex: Vessels were searched, seized and sunk.
Chiasmus
when the first clause or phrase is reversed in the second; reinforces the contrast
Ex: And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
Juxtaposition
the placing of contrasting settings, characters, or other literary elements in opposition between paragraphs or between sections of text to highlight an intended disparity
Slippery Slope
Conclusion based on: if A happens, then B will happen too. To prevent B, A must not be allowed to happen
Ex: If we ban Hummers because they are bad for the environment eventually the government will ban all cars, so we should not ban Hummers.
Hasty Generalization
conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence
Ex: Even though it's only the first day, I can tell this is going to be a boring course.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.'
Ex: I drank bottled water and now I am sick, so the water must have made me sick.
Begging the Claim
The conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim
Ex: Filthy and polluting coal should be banned.
Circular Argument
Restates the argument rather than actually proving it
Ex: George Bush is a good communicator because he speaks effectively.
Smoking cigarettes can kill you because cigarettes are deadly.
Either/Or
Conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices.
Ex: We can either stop using cars or destroy the earth.
Straw Man
Oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument
Ex: People who don't support the proposed state minimum wage increase hate the poor.