Rhetorical Quiz 3
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- slang
- words that are usually short-lived and that may not be understood by all readers, such as tanked for drunk, bread for money, and honcho for one in charge.
- rational appeal
- In argumentative and persuasive writing, the appeal to readers' rational faculties - to their ability to reason logically - in order to win agreement or compel action.
- unity
- the quality of effective writing that occurs when all the parts relate to the main idea and contribute to the writer's purpose
- thesis
- the main idea of a piece of writing, to which all other ideas and details relate The main idea is often stated in a thesis sentence (or sentences), which asserts something about the subject and conveys the writer's purpose. The thesis sentence is often included near the beginning of an essay. Even when the writer does not state the main idea and purpose, however, they govern all the ideas and details in the essay. (Aka proposition, assertion; in persuasive writing the thesis is also known as the assertion or proposition.)
- premise
- the generalization or assumption of which and argument is
- rhetoric
- the art of using words effectively to communicate with an audience, or the study of the art To the ancient Greeks
- symbol
- a person, place or thing that represents an abstract quality or concept A red heart symbolizes love; the Golden Gate Bridge symbolizes San Francisco's dramatic beauty; a cross symbolizes Christianity.
- syllogism
- the basic form of deductive reasoning, in which a conclusion derives necessarily from proven or accepted premises For example: The roof always leaks when it rains (the major premise). It is raining (the minor premise). Therefore, the roof will leak (the conclusion).
- style
- the way something is said, as opposed to what is said results primarily from a writer's characteristic word choices and sentence structures. A person's writing style, like his or her voice or manner of speaking, is distinctive. Style can also be viewed more broadly as ranging from formal to informal. A very formal style adheres strictly to the conventions of Standard English (see diction); tends toward long sentences with sophisticated structures; and relies on learned words, such as malodorous and psychopathic. A very informal style, in contrast, is more conversational; tends toward short, uncomplicated sentences; and relies on words typical of casual speech, such a smelly or crazy. The formality of style may often be modified to suit a particular audience or occasion; a college term paper, for instance, demands a more formal style than an essay narrating a personal experience.
- spatial organization
- a pattern of organization that views an object, scene, or person by paralleling the way we normally scan things - for instance, top to bottom or near to far.
- tone
- the attitude toward the subject, and sometimes toward the audience and the writer's own self, expressed in choice of words and sentence structures as well as in what is said Tone in writing is similar to tone of voice in speaking, from warm to serious, amused to angry, joyful to sorrowful, sympathetic to contemptuous.
- simile
- a figure of speech that equates two unlike things with like or as: The crowd was restless, like bees in a hive.
- persuasion
- The form of writing that appeals to readers' reason and emotions in order to win agreement with a claim or to compel some action. This definition encompasses both argument in a narrower - and persuasion - the appeal to emotion to compel action.
- transitions
- links between sentences and paragraphs that relate ideas and thus contribute to clarity and smoothness Transitions may be sentences beginning paragraphs or brief paragraphs that shift the focus or introduce new ideas. They may also be words and phrases that signal and specify relationships. Some of these words and phrases - by no means all - are listed below:
- point of view
- the position of the writer in relation to the subject In description, point of view depends on the writer's physical and psychological relation to the subject. In narration, point of view depends on the writer's place in the story and on his or her relation to it in time. More broadly, point of view can also mean the writer's particular mental stance or attitude. For instance, an employee and employer might have different points of view toward the employee's absenteeism or the employer's sick-leave policies.
- rehetorical question
- a question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply
- repetition and restatement
- the careful use of the same words or close parallels to clarify meaning and tie sentences together
- satire
- the combination of wit and criticism to mock or condemn human foolishness or evil The intent of satire is to arouse readers to contempt or action, and thus it differs from comedy, which seeks simply to amuse. Much satire relies on iron - saying one thing but meaning another. (See irony.)