Definitions
Trope
a figure of speech that involves a change in the usual meaning or signification of words.
Metaphor
an implied comparison between two things that clarifies and enlivens argument
Apostrophe
addressing a person or a personified thing that is not there
Vernacular
is everyday speech. It's just the way people talk in day-to-day life. The opposite of vernacular is formal writing- the sort of language you would use in papers or while addressing a foreign diplomat
Asyndeton
deliberate omission of the use of conjunctions
Imagery
vivid appeals to the five senses
Simile
a direct comparison between two things using "like" or "as"
Personification
ascribing human characteristics to that which is not human
Paradox
a statement that contradicts itself, or must be both true and untrue at the same time. Paradoxes are quirks in logic that demonstrate how our thinking sometimes goes haywire, even when we use perfectly logical reasoning to get there
Polysyndeton
the deliberate use of many conjunctions
Understatement
a figure of speech that makes a weaker statement than a situation seems to call for
Analogy
an extended point-by-point comparison drawn between two things that are alike in many ways
Allusion
the reference to a statement, person, place, or event from any field of discipline
Declarative sentence
makes a statement
Rhetorical fragment
a sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose
Antonomasia
shorthand substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name
Tone
the author's attitude toward the subject
Jargon
the special vocabulary of members of a profession, trade, or field
Imperative sentence
gives a command
Rhetorical question
questions that do not expect answers
Irony
the use of words intended to convey a meaning opposite of their literal meaning
Hyperbole
an exaggeration
Colloquial language or slang
informal use of language- acceptable in casual speaking situations, but not in formal writing or presentations
Interrogative sentence
asks a question
Labyrinthine sentence
an especially long, complex, multi-faced sentence not to be confused with a run-on necessarily