rhetorical device flashcards

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

Parallelism

Parallel structure in which the parallel elements are similar not only in grammatical structure, but also in length

Isocolon

the direct opposite, a sharp contrast

Antithesis

Inversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence. Purpose is rhythm or emphasis or euphony. It is a fancy word for inversion.

Anastrophe

a grammar construction in which a noun (or noun phrase) is placed with another as an explanation

Apposition

three periods (...) indicating the omission of words in a thought or quotation

Ellipsis

the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence.

Asyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions

Polysyndeton

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Alliteration

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity

Assonance

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses

Epistrophe

repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause

Epanalepsis

repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause

Anadiplosis

repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order

Antimetabole

Chiasmus

A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed (does not involve a repetition of words)

repetition of words derived from the same root

Polyptoton

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa

Synecdoche

substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it

Metonymy

Anthimeria

the substitution of one part of speech for another (ex: using a noun as a verb "let's movie")

Litotes

deliberate use of understatement, stated in the negative (ex: not bad = good)