Rhetorical terms page 1

refers to the language that describes concepts rather than concrete images (ideas and qualities rather than observable or specfic things, people, or places). The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language 

in an argument, this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. it comes from the latin meaning "against the man."

an extended narrative in prose or verse in which characters, events, and settings represent abstract qualities and in which the writer intends a second meaning to be read beneath the surface of the story; the underlying meaning may be moral, religious, political, social, or satiric 

repetition of consanant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to one another: Mickey Mouse; Donald Duck

a reference to a well-known person, place, or thing from literature, history, etc. Example: Eden

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentances in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent. (Example: "There was the delight I caught in seeing long straight rows. There was a faint, cool kiss of sensuality. There was the vague sense of the infinite...") 

A short, simple narrative of an incident; often used for humourous effect or to make a point

Explanatory notes added to a text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data 

the presentation of two contrasting images. The ideas are balanced by word, phase, clause, or paragraphs. "To be or not to be..." "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country..."

a short, often witty statement of a principle or a truth about life: "Early bird gets the worm"

usually in poetry but sometimes in prose; the device of calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person or to a place, thing, or personified abstraction 

writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting reasoned arguments; persuasive writing is a form of argumentation

repetition of vowel sounds between different consonants, such as in neigh/fade

Commas used (with no conjuction) to seperate a series of words. The parts are emphasized equally when the cojuction is omitted; in addition, the use of commas with no intervening conjuction speeds up the flow of the sentence. Takes the form of X,Y,Z as opposed to X,Y, and Z

harsh, awkward, or dissonant sounds used deliberately in poetry or prose; the opposite of euphony 

descriptive writing that greatly exaggerates a specific feature of a person's appearance or a faced of personality 

a word of phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal wrting but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't)