Figurative Language
given human characteristics to something non-human
What is personification?
Questions that need no answer ex/Can't you do anything right? Is the sky blue?
What is a rhetorical question?
Private demand for the product has tapered off for the past three years, and this year's sales figures are at an all-time low.
What is logos?
Repeating of any words, phrases, or sentences in a poem.
ex/ When the frost on grass is replaced with sweet dew,
When the fields become dotted with flowers,
What is repetition?
the assumption that just because something is popular it is good, right, and acceptable
ex/ My friends all have tik tok so I should too.
What is bandwagon?
a comparison of two unalike things using the verbs (is, were, are) ex/ she is a teddy bear. ex/ You were a raging bull.
What is a metaphor?
Use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning
Types: situational, verbal, and dramatic
ex/A fire station burns down
What is irony?
This lotion has been backed by dermatologists.
What is ethos?
repetition of similar vowels sounds ex/
“In the pale moonlight, the frail sail unfurls.” – The repetition of the “a” and “ai”
What is assonance?
influence audience by using words or phrases with strong meaning ex/ The gorgeous model slinked down the runway.
What is loaded language?
uses exaggeration ex/This homework is going to take years.
What is hyperbole?
repetition of grammatical structures or the arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses for effect
ex/It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
ex/"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
What is parallelism?
uses facts, statistics, and/or evidence
What is logos?
rhyme in which two words located at the end of a line of poetry themselves end in similar- but not identical-consonant sounds. ex/streets, cheap
What is a slant rhyme?
(of an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining
ex/Humans are causing climate change. Scientists are in a for the money not to help.
What is ad hominem?
a word that mimics the sound of the actual thing or person. ex/ ROAR, POW, BAM
What is onomatopoeia?
any construct in which the speaker is talking directly to an individual or group.
ex/You, Dave, must want to help. Ex/ Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country.
What is direct address?
Getting people to feel happy, sad, or angry can help your argument.
What is pathos?
where words have a repeating sound at the start of words.
ex/ sweet birds sang songs
What is alliteration?
an argument that suggests that a certain initial action could lead to a chain of events
ex/Widening the road will lead to more traffic in town, which will make our town a dangerous place to drive or walk.
What is Slippery Slope?
something that represents something else
ex/the color red means love:the color green means money
What is symbolism?
reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event ex/ "Don't act like a Scrooge" ex/ "He studies all the time and is a regular Einstein"
What is an allusion?
a person may be more inclined to believe a doctor about their family health issues
What is ethos?
rhythm (pattern of beats/syllables) in a line or verse of poetry
ex/ Iamb: A poetic foot that contains one unstressed syllable and one stressed syllable (ex. “a-LONE”).
What is meter?
a broad, sweeping conclusion based on a small sample ex/ One aggressive dog of a breed leads to the conclusion that all dogs of that breed are aggressive.
What is hasty (over) generalization?