Essential Rhetoric Terms:
RHETORIC is the art of using language to manipulate or persuade, to make your point seem reasonable and compelling. Skilled rhetoricians use language as part of their appeals to LOGIC (LOGOS), EMOTION (PATHOS), and ETHOS. “Ethos” refers to the means by which the speaker/writer establishes herself/himself as someone we will trust and believe in.
As good critical readers, we learn to recognize these terms and to understand their effects
In the work we are reading. By understanding how the effects of these terms contribute to a writer/speaker’s RHETORICAL PURPOSE, we more fully understand the intended effect of the work.
The following is a very basic list of terms that you should know!
Terms having to do with argumentation
Assertion: an opinion stated as a fact--the basis of all arguments. Assertions are always arguable.
Claim: the main assertion of an argument; the point of an argument backed up by support.
Generalization: a conclusion drawn from a number of particular examples; an assertion about a group or class.
Assumption: an unspoken opinion, perspective or belief taken for granted without proof.
Qualification: to modify, restrict or limit. A qualification of an assertion or claim means that you agree in part, or you wish to redefine or reshape the assertion.
Refutation: the part of an argument in which the speaker anticipates objections to the points being raised and counters them. To refute is to discredit or disprove an argument.
Counterargument: a challenge to a position; an opposing argument.
Rebuttal: giving evidence that refutes an opposing argument.
Hypothesis: an unproved theory; a proposed explanation that needs to be tested.
Digression: getting off the point of an argument; sometimes done intentionally.
Terms having to do with syntactical constructions/patterns
Syntax: the order of words in a sentence; sentence structure.
Syntactical patterns: the repetition of ordering of words in a sentence for effect.
Clause: a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
Subordinate Clause: a group of words containing a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Complex Sentence: sentence containing an independent clause and a subordinate clause.
Compound Sentence: sentence containing two independent clauses
Parallelism: a set of similarly structured words, phrases or clauses that appears in a sentence or paragraph.
Antithesis: the juxtaposition (placing side by side) of opposing or contrasting words or ideas, in parallel structure. "Place your virtues on a pedestal; put your vices under a rock."
Balanced (phrases, clauses, ideas): two equal words, phrases, clauses or sentences.
Oxymoron: juxtaposed words (words placed side by side) with seemingly opposite meanings. "Jumbo shrimp"
Rhetorical terms having to do with meaning of words/author's purpose
Tone: the author’s attitude, as determined by an analysis of his/her language.
Simile/Analogy: a figurative (not literal) comparison using "like" or "as."
Metaphor/Extended metaphor: a figurative comparison of two unlike objects.
Connotation: the implied meaning of a word; a word's overtones of meaning.
Imagery: language that appeals to the senses.
Apostrophe: when nature is spoken to as if human.
Allusion: an indirect reference to another text or body of knowledge (history, Bible, mythology, etc.).
Objective: without personal bias or prejudice.
Subjective: reflecting an individual's feelings, prejudice or bias.
Anecdote: a brief narrative (story) within a text to get audience's attention and/or support a claim.
Euphemism: an indirect expression of unpleasant information.
Appeal to authority: referring to the words/actions of a person in authority as a means of supporting a claim.
