Scheme

Scheme

• An artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words

Trope

Trope

• An artful deviation from the ordinary significance of a word

Parallelism

Parallelism

• Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses [adds balance, rhythm and clarity]

Climactic Parallelism

Climactic Parallelism

• The arrangement of w/p/c in an order of increasing importance, often in parallel structure.

Isocolon

Isocolon

• A series of similarly structured elements having the same length, emphasizing similarity of elements.

Antithesis

Antithesis

• Contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction [useful for making distinctions or for clarifying differences which might be otherwise overlooked by a careless thinker or casual reader]

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition

• A device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, especially for comparison or contrast [often creates an effect of surprise and wit]

Paradox

Paradox

• A self-contradictory statement that reveals a deeper truth

Oxymoron

Oxymoron

• Placing two ordinarily opposing terms adjacent to one another

Listing

Listing

• A series of items one after the other, designed to create a feeling of plenty

Ellipsis

Ellipsis

• Omission of a word or shot phrase easily understood in context

Asyndeton

Asyndeton

• Omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words, often resulting in a hurried rhythm or vehement effect. (the counterpart to polysyndeton) [often used for strong and direct climactic effect]

Paralepsis

Paralepsis

• Emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it [allows the speaker to make the listener assume a difficult point]

Rhetorical Question

Rhetorical Question

• A question that does not need to be answered, because the answer is obvious, and is usually just yes or no [used to provoke the audience to your conclusion]

Rhetorical Fragment

Rhetorical Fragment

• A sentence fragment [used deliberately for persuasive purpose]

Repetition

Repetition

• A device in which words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once [used to enhance rhythm and to create emphasis]

Synonymia

Synonymia

• The use of several synonyms together to amplify or explain a subject or term

Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis

• Repetition of a word (or phrase) from the previous line, clause, or sentence at the beginning of the next. [next for emphasis of a main idea]

Anaphora

Anaphora

• Repetition of a word, phrase, group of words at the beginning of successive clauses

Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis

• Repetition at the end of a line, phrase, clause or sentence of the word that occurred at the beginning of the same line, phrase, clause, or sentence [calls special attention to a word]

Epimone

Epimone

• Frequent repetition of a phrase or question; dwelling on a point

Epistrophe

Epistrophe

• Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses [adds emphasis to an important concept]

Parenthesis

Parenthesis

• Insertion of some word or clause in a position that interrupts the normal syntactic flow of the sentence (asides are emphatic examples of this) [creates the effect of immediacy: you are relating some fact when suddenly something very important arises, or else you cannot resist an instant comment, so you just stop the sentence]

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton

• The repetition of conjunction in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses, often slowing the tempo or rhythm [used to attempt to encompass something complex, highlight quantity or mass of detail or to create flowing, continuous sentence pattern]

Chiasmus / Antimetabole

Chiasmus / Antimetabole

• A sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in the second clause in a reversal of the first

Stichomythia

Stichomythia

• Dialogue in which the endings and beginnings of each line echo each other, taking on a new meaning with each new line

Zeugma

Zeugma

• The use of a verb that has two different meanings with objects that complement both meanings