Rhetorical and Literary Terms

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Rhetorical Question

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A question asked solely to produce an effect and not to elicit a reply.

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Refutation

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When a writer delivers relevant opposing arguments.

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Allegory

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A narrative in which character, action, and setting represent abstract concepts apart from the literal meaning of a story. The underlying meaning usually has a moral, social, religious, or political significance.

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Syllogism

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A formula for presenting an argument logically. It consists of three divisions: a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

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Metonymy

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The substitution of a term naming an object closely associated with the word in mind for the word itself.

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Claim of Value

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Claims involving opinions, attitudes, and subjective evaluation.

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Claim of Policy

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Claims advocating courses of action that should or should not be undertaken.

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Claim of Definition

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Claims exploring what something means or what something is made up of.

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Grounds

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The evidence offered in support of a claim.

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Warrant

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The assumption the speaker makes about the audience.