Rhetorical Devices (syntactical devices)highschool.csredhawks.org/subsites/Doug-Stark/documents/AP...
Transcript of Rhetorical Devices (syntactical devices)highschool.csredhawks.org/subsites/Doug-Stark/documents/AP...
Rhetorical Devices(syntactical devices)
AP Language and Composition
Anadiplosis
Definition: The term literally means “to double back.” It refers to a repetition of
the last word of one phrase, clause, or sentence at or very near the beginning of
the next.
Effect: creates a sense of logical progression
Examples:
Aboard my ship, excellent performance is standard. Standard performance is sub-
standard. Sub-standard performance is not permitted to exist. — Herman Wouk,
The Caine Mutiny
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. — Yoda, Star
Wars
VIDEO LINK: https://mannerofspeaking.org/2012/02/26/rhetorical-devices-anadiplosis/
Anadiplosis
WATCH THE VIDEO CLIP (linked) OF MARGARET THATCHER USING
ANADIPLOSIS TO PROMOTE HER ECONOMIC POLICIES. Explain the effect of
the use of anadiplosis.
Margaret Thatcher: "Of course our vision and our aims go far beyond the
complex arguments of economics, but unless we get the economy right we shall
deny our people the opportunity to share that vision and to see beyond the narrow
horizons of economic necessity. Without a healthy economy we can’t have a
healthy society and without a healthy society the economy won’t stay healthy
for long."
Anaphora
Definition: The term literally means “carrying back.” It refers to the repetition of
the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or
sentences, commonly in conjunction with climax and with parallelism
Effect: Creates especially strong emphasis and sense of continuity between
rhetorical points.
Example: We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. – Winston
Churchill
Anastrophe
Definition: Word order is reversed or rearranged.
Effect: Draws emphasis to a different part of the sentence; varies style in order to
emphasize
Example: “Powerful you have become; the dark side I sense in you.” - Yoda
● Yoda inverts normal word order. Instead of saying “You have become
powerful,” he says, “Powerful you have become.”
Antithesis / Juxtaposition
Definition: The term literally means “setting opposite.” It describes the creation
of a clear, contrasting relationship between two ideas by joining them together or
juxtaposing them, often in parallel structure.
Effect: Useful for making relatively fine distinctions or for clarifying differences
which might be otherwise overlooked.
Example: “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope
Apophasis
Definition: The term literally means “to say no.” It describes a process of
inductive reasoning that attempts to define an object or idea by what it is not
rather than by what it is. More commonly, it refers to the rhetorical tactic of
mentioning an idea by denying that it should be mentioned.
Effect: To make an audience aware of a subject while simultaneously creating
distance between the speaker and that subject if it is dangerous or undesirable.
Example: I will not bring up the topic of my opponent’s numerous affairs in this
discussion.
Apostrophe
Definition: The term literally means “turning away.” It refers to an interruption of
discourse in order to directly addresses a personified thing, either present or
absent.
Effect: Its most common purpose in prose is to give vent to or display intense
emotion, which can no longer be held back.
Example: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? – 1
Corinthians 15:55
The speaker talks directly to “death” and the “grave.”
Asyndeton
Definition: A deliberate omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or
clauses.
Effect: To speed up the rhythm of speech; to create the effect of improvisational
speech; to make an idea more memorable.
Example: I came, I saw, I conquered. – Julius Caesar
Caesar leaves out any conjunctions / connecting
words.
Asyndeton
WATCH THE VIDEO CLIP (linked) OF C.S. Lewis USING asyndeton. Be
prepared to explain the effect of his use of this syntactical device.
C.S. Lewis: Forget psychology. Forget the inside of men's heads. Judge them by
their actions. For example, Mr. Whistler is asleep. Now, from that action, I take it
that he has no interest in what I have to say. The puzzle is, that being the case,
why is he here at all? So, we construct a plot from Mr. Whistler's actions: he
comes, he sleeps. Now, Aristotle would say that the next question is not why, but
what is Mr. Whistler going to do next? [Mr. Whistler wakes up.] Good morning, Mr.
Whistler. My class is not compulsory, neither are my chairs very comfortable. I
suggest --
Chiasmus
Definition: Named after the Greek letter “chi,” indicating a criss-cross. The term
refers to a reversal in the order of terms in the second of two parallel clauses.
This is sometimes described as AB-BA structure.
Effect: Expresses a truth through complement or contrast in order to provoke
thought in the reader.
A B B
Example: Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your
A
country. – John F. Kennedy
Climax
Definition: The term comes from the Greek word for “ladder.” It refers to the
arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences in the order of increasing
importance, weight, or emphasis. Parallelism usually forms a part of the
arrangement, because it offers a sense of continuity, order, and movement-up the
ladder of importance.
Effect: Creates a sense of tension or grandeur, ultimately placing rhetorical
emphasis on the final word, phrase, or clause.
Example: I think we’ve reached a point of great decision, not just for our nation,
not only for all humanity, but for life upon the earth. – George Wald
● As Wald moves through his list, the topic widens and grows more important.
Climax
Listen to the clip of astronaut Frank Borman (aboard
the Apollo 8. What is the effect of his use of climax?
"And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a merry
Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good earth."
-- Frank Borman, Astronaut
Epanalepsis
Definition: Refers to the repetition of the first word of a clause or sentence at the
end.
Effect: Creates rhetorical emphasis.
Example: In the world, ye shall have trials, but be of good cheer—I have
overcome the world. –John 16:33
Litotes
Definition: A particular form of understatement generated by denying the opposite
or contrary of the word which otherwise would be used.
Effect: Depending on the tone and context of the usage, litotes either retains the
effect of understatement, or becomes an intensifying expression.
Example: And truly, their suffering was not small. – William Bradford
Their suffering was great. Small is the opposite of great. Litotes = not “the
opposite.”
Ellipsis
Definition: When words are left out of a sentence, but the meaning is
understood.
Effect: To speed up the rhythm of speech; to create the effect of improvisational
speech; to make an idea more memorable.
Example: My brother took the top bunk, my sister the bottom.
Parallelism
Definition: The term describes any structure that displays recurrent syntactical
similarity.
Effect: Several parts of a sentence or several sentences are developed and
phrased similarly to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences are equal in
importance. Parallelism also adds balance and rhythm and, most importantly,
clarity to the sentence.
S V PN
Example: The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessing; the
S V PN
inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
● The two independent clauses follow the same grammatical form.
Parallelism
Listen to the clip of Jesse Jackson using parallelism. Be prepared to explain the
effect of his use of this syntactical device.
"I've tried to offer leadership to the Democratic Party and the Nation. If, in my high
moments, I have done some good, offered some service, shed some light,
healed some wounds, rekindled some hope, or stirred someone from apathy
and indifference, or in any way along the way helped somebody, then this
campaign has not been in vain."
-- Jesse Jackson, 1984 Democratic National Convention Address
Parenthesis
Definition: This term refers to the insertion of a word, phrase, or whole sentence
as an aside in the middle of another sentence. Parenthesis can be circumscribed
either by dashes--they are more dramatic and forceful--or by parentheses (to
make the aside less stringent).
Effect: The violence involved in jumping into (or out of) the middle of a sentence
to address the reader momentarily about something has a pronounced effect. This
device creates the effect of extemporaneity and immediacy.
Example: In Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is
a thing you’re taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing. The
difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone
who wanted to read the essays.
- C.S. Lewis
Pleonasm
Definition: This term refers to the use of more words than required to express
an idea; being redundant.
Effect: Generally this is a syntactical error, but it is done on purpose on rare
occasions for emphasis:
Example: This was the most unkindest cut of all. – Shakespeare, Julius
Caesar
Polysyndeton
Definition: The use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause;
structurally the opposite of asyndeton.
Effect: The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton is one of multiplicity, energetic
enumeration, and building up.
Example: And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of
the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the
heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive,
and they that were with him in the ark. – Genesis 7:22-24
Procatalepsis
Definition: This term refers to the rhetorical act of anticipating an objection and
answering it
Effect: This tactic permits an argument to continue moving forward while taking
into account points or reasons opposing either the train of thought or its final
conclusions.
Example: Of course, those who object to government intervention claim that any
new regulations will destroy the coal and petroleum industries. However, this type
of thinking is short-sighted and reactionary. In reality, new regulations will only…
Zeugma
Definition: This term refers to a grammatically correct linkage (or yoking
together) of two or more parts of speech by another part of speech. Examples of
zeugmatic usage would include one subject with two (or more) verbs, a verb with
two (or more) direct objects, two (or more) subjects with one verb, and so forth.
Effect: The main benefit of the linking is that it shows relationships between ideas
and actions more clearly. The technique is often used to promote satiric effect.
Example: You held your breath and the door for me. – Alanis Morrisette