Terms Definitions 1
The reference to a statement, person, place, or event from any field of discipline
allusion
a set of periods (dots) indicating a pause, hesitation, or an omission of words.
ellipses
a punctuation mark used to insert comments or highlight material within a sentence
colon
a punctuation mark that signals a pause stronger than a comma, but not as strong as a period
dash
informal use of language—acceptable in casual speaking situations, but not in formal writing or presentations.
Colloquial language/ slang
Deliberate omission of the use of conjunctions (and, but, etc…)
asyndeton
the deliberate use of many conjunctions
polysyndeton
an exaggeration
hyperbole
the use of words intended to convey a meaning opposite of their literal meanings
Irony
the author’s attitude toward the subject
tone
an extended point-by-point comparison drawn between two things that are alike in many ways
analogy
questions that do not expect answers
rhetorical questions
something that is contradictory but is true
paradox
ordering of words in the sentence (the varied ways sentences are written) that help to create a tone
syntax
a figure of speech that makes a weaker statement than a situation seems to call for
understatement
shorthand substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name
Antonomasia
The intentional repetition of beginning clauses for artistic effect.
anaphora
a sentence fragment used deliberately for a persuasive purpose
rhetorical fragment
a finely crafted aggregation of words that weaves in and out, accruing information, riding rhythms of parallel sentence structure
labyrinthine sentence
Involves the use of grammatically similar phrases or clauses for special effect
parallelism
The use of parallel structure to contrast elements placed side by side
juxtaposition
The identical or near repetition of words in one phrase or clause in reverse order in the next phrase or clause
antimetabole
Repetition of ideas in inverted order or repetition of grammatical structures in inverted order
chiasmus
addressing a nonexistent person, a personified thing, or an abstract idea in such a way as if it were present and capable of understanding feelings
apostrophe
The special vocabulary of members of a profession, trade, or field
jargon