Literary Terms Unit 9

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Tone

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A writer's attitude toward his subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language and organization.

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Understatement

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The ironic minimizing of fact; it presents something as less significant than it is. The effect can frequently be humorous. Example: 'Our defense played valiantly, and held the other team to merely eight touchdowns in the first quarter.'

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Argument

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A piece of reasoning with one or more premises and a conclusion. It is also sometimes called a claim, a position, or a stance.

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Premises

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Statements offered as reasons to support a conclusion are premises.

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Conclusion

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The end result of the argument - the main point being made. In an argument one expects that it will be supported with reasons or premises.

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Ethos

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Aristotle's appeal that means being convinced by the credibility of the author. It involves convincing the audience that the writer is an authority on the subject and is likable and worthy of respect.

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Pathos

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Aristotle's appeal that means persuading by appealing to the reader's emotions. An argument that relies too much on emotion, without any corroborating logos, can become a fallacy.

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Logos

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Aristotle's appeal that means persuading by the use of reasoning, using true premises and valid arguments. This is generally considered the strongest form of persuasion.

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Concession

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Accepting at least part or all of an opposing viewpoint. Often used to make one's own argument stronger by demonstrating willingness to accept what is obviously true and reasonable, even if presented by the opposition. Sometimes called multiple perspectives.

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Conditional statement

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An if-then statement consisting of two parts, an antecedent and a consequent. Example: 'If you studied hard, then you will pass the test.'