Rhetorical Terms Review

The assertion that is in opposition to the speaker’s claim. This is the claim that the speaker must argue against.

• Claim

• Counterclaim

• Text

• Purpose

A highly structured four-sentence paragraph that summarizes the content of and analyzes the delivery of an argument.

• Rhetorical Techniques

• Rhetorical Triangle

• Rhetorical Précis

• Parallelism

The stylistic choice of words and phrases in speech or writing. The characteristic of these choices of words and phrases.

• Parallelism

• Diction

• Allusion

• Purpose

When a speaker uses a repetitive structure of words or phrases within a sentence or a group of sentences. By making each compared item or idea in a sentence follow the same grammatical pattern, a parallel construction is created.

• Parallelism

• Restatement

• Repetition

• Diction

The use of words in a way that deviates from conventional or literal meaning. This type of language helps make an argument more meaningful, colorful, evocative, and stylistic.

• Rhetorical Techniques

• Rhetorical Triangle

• Rhetorical Précis

• Figurative Language

The circumstances (like time, place, and occasion) that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea in a way that it can be fully understood and assessed.

• Text

• Context

• Allusions

• Diction

the demand in society, the situation that prompts someone to speak or take action; this is often outside of their control

• exigence

• context

• audience

• purpose

to inform / to persuade

• purpose

• audience

• exigence

• context

the target of the rhetoric

• speaker

• audience

• text

• rhetorical triangle

credibility

• ethos

• pathos

• logos