Rhetorical Terms 2

Front

Asyndeton

Back

The omission of conjunctions.

Ex: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

Front

Polysyndeton

Back

The repeated use of conjunctions within the same sentence. Ex: They carried lice and ringworm and leeches and paddy algae and various rots and molds.

Front

Anaphora

Back

Repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences.

Ex: Love is the question. Love is the answer. Love is everything.

Front

Epistrophe

Back

Repetition at the end of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences.

Ex: When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child; I thought as a child.

Front

Antimetabole

Back

Reversing the order of repeated words or phrases.

Ex: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Front

Paralipsis

Back

Asserts or emphasizes something by seeming to deny it.

Ex: Don't worry; I will totally ignore the fact you lied to me the last time this situation occurred.

Front

Personification

Back

Gives an inanimate object human traits or characteristics. Ex: The stars danced playfully in the midnight sky.

Front

Synecdoche

Back

A type of metaphor in which the part stands for the whole. Ex: Don't worry; Dr. Smith is excellent. You're in good hands.

Front

Oxymoron

Back

Combination of contradictory ideas next to each other in a clause, phrase, or sentence.

Ex: No one goes to that restaurant anymore; it's too crowded.

Front

Procatalepsis

Back

Anticipates an objection or counterclaim and answers it.

Ex: You might say that my lack of experience makes me unqualified for this position; however, my drive and dedication make up for my lack of experience.