English rhetorical techniques

1) Simile: (simile) It is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic (characteristic) in common . To make the comparison, words like as, as...as, as if and like are used to transfer the quality we associate with one to the other. For example, As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country./ This elephant is like a snake as anybody can see.

2) Metaphor: (metaphor) It is like a simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated. For example, the world is a stage./ The diamond department was the heart and center of the store.

3) Analogy: (analogy) It is also a form of comparison, but unlike simile or metaphor which usually uses comparison on one point of resemblance, analogy draws a parallel between two unlike things that have several common qualities or points of resemblance.

4) Personification: (personification) It gives human form of feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes to inanimate objects, or to ideas and abstractions. For example, the wind whistled through the trees.

5) Hyperbole: (Exaggeration) It is the deliberate use of overstatement or exaggeration to achieve emphasis. For instance, he almost died laughing.

6) Understatement: (Implicit statement) It is the opposite of hyperbole , or overstatement. It achieves its effect of emphasizing a fact by deliberately(deliberately)

understating it, impressing the listener or the reader more by what is merely implied or left unsaid than by bare statement. For instance, It is no laughing matter.

7) Euphemism: (euphemism) It is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive(non-offensive) expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. For instance, we refer to "die" as" pass away".

8) Metonymy (metonymy) It is a figure of speech that has to do with the substitution of the mane of one thing for that of another. For instance, the pen (words) is mightier than the sword (forces). Metonymy refers to two different things They are not similar, but they are inseparable, so one thing name is often used instead of another.

1. Several years later, word came that Napoleonyh himself was coming to inspect them...

A few years later, they heard that Napoleon himself was coming to inspect them.

"Word" here replaces "news, information" (news, information)

2. Al spoke with his eyes, "yes".

Al said, "Yes," with his eyes.

"Speaking" should be the function of the mouth. Here, the "meaning of speaking" is actually expressed with the eyes.

9) Synecdoche (Synecdoche) It is involves the substitution of the part for the whole, or the whole for the part. For instance, they say there's bread and work for all. She was dressed in silks .

10) Antonomasia (metonymy) It has also to do with substitution. It is not often mentioned now, though it is still in frequent use. For example, Solomon for a wise man. Daniel for a wise and fair judge. Judas for a traitor.

11) Pun: (pun) It is a play on words, or rather a play on the form and meaning of words. For instance, a cannon- ball took off his legs, so he laid down his arms. (Here "arms" has two meanings: a person's body; weapons carried by a soldier.)/ Napoleon was astonished."Either you are mad, or I am,"he declared. "Both, sir!" cried the Swede proudly. The word "Both" is a pun, not only referring to both Napoleon and the soldier as madmen, but also referring to the fact that the soldier participated in two battles commanded by Napoleon

12) Syllepsis: It has two connotations.

In the first case, it is a figure by which a word, or a particular form or inflection of a word, refers to to two or more words in the same sentence, while properly applying to or agreeing with only on of them in grammar or syntax(syntax). For example, He addressed you and me, and desired us to follow him. (Here us is used to refer to you and me.)

In the second case, it a word may refer to two or more words in the same sentence. For example, while he was fighting , and losing limb and mind, and dying, others stayed behind to pursue education and career. (Here to losing one's limbs in literal; to lose one's mind

is figurative, and means to go mad.)

13) Zeugma: (yoke collocation) It is a single word which is made to modify or to govern two or more words in the same sentence, wither properly applying in sense to only one of them, or applying to them in different senses. For example, The sun shall not burn you by day, nor the moon by night. (Here noon is not strong enough to burn)

< p>14) Irony: (Irony) It is a figure of speech that achieves emphasis by saying the opposite of what is meant, the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense. For instance, we are lucky, what you said makes me feel real good.

15) Innuendo: It is a mild form of irony, hinting in a rather roundabout way at something disparaging or uncomplimentary ) to the person or subject mentioned. For example, the weatherman said it would be worm. He must take his readings in a bathroom.

16) Sarcasm: (sarcasm) It Sarcasm is a strong form of irony . It attacks in a taunting and bitter manner, and its aim is to disparage, ridicule and wound the feelings of the subject attacked. For example, laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps break through.

17) Paradox: It is a figure of speech consisting of a statement or proposition which on the face of it seems self-contradictory, absurd or contrary to established fact or practice, but which on further thinking and study may prove to be true, well-founded, and even to contain a succinct point. For examp

le more haste, less speed.

18) Oxymoron: It is a compressed paradox, formed by the conjoining of two contrasting, contradictory or incongruous terms as in bitter -sweet memories, orderly chaos(chaos) and proud humility(insult).

19) Antithesis: (Contrast) It is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve emphasis. For example , speech is silver; silence is golden.

20) Epigram: (Aphorism) It states a simple truth pithily(favorably) and pungently(strongly). It is usually terse and arouses interest and surprise by its deep insight into certain aspects of human behavior or feeling. For instance, Few, save the poor, feel for the poor.

21) Climax: (gradual) It is derived from the Greek word for "ladder " and implies the progression of thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance or intensity, like the steps of a ladder ascending evenly. For example, I came, I saw, I conquered.

22) Anti -climax or bathos: It is the opposite of Climax. It involves stating one's thoughts in a descending order of significance or intensity, from strong to weak, from weighty to light or frivolous. For instance, But thousands die, without or this or that, die, and endow (endow) a college, or a cat.

23) Apostrophe: (pause) In this figure of speech, a thing, place, idea or person (dead or absent) is addressed as if present, listening and understanding what is being said. For instance, England! awake! awake! awake!

24) Transf

erred Epithet: (transferred adjective) It is a figure of speech where an epithet (an adjective or descriptive phrase) is transferred from the noun it should rightly modify (modify) to another to which it does not really apply or belong. For instance , I spent sleepless nights on my project.

25) Alliteration: (alliteration) It has to do with the sound rather than the sense of words for effect. It is a device that repeats the same sound at frequent intervals and since the sound repeated is usually the initial consonant sound, it is also called "front rhyme". For instance, the fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, the furrow followed free. Alliteration There are two or more words or phrases connected together in a sentence, and the beginning syllables have the same letters or sounds to enhance the rhythm of the language. How and why he had come to Princeton, New Jersey is a story of struggle, success, and sadness.

26) Onomatopoeia: (Onomatopoeia) It is a device that uses words which imitate the sounds made by an object (animate or inanimate), or which are associated with or suggestive of some action or movement. Eg: On the root of the school house some pigeons were softly cooing./ She brought me into touch with everything that could be reached or felt——sunlight, the rustling of silk, the noises of insects, the creaking of a door, the voice of a loved one.