Palindrome - Quotation Mark
A glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms, from PALINDROME to QUOTATION MARKS. Click on a term for definitions, examples, word history, pronunciation guide, and links to related articles.
palindrome
Word play in which a word, phrase, verse, or sentence reads the same backward or forward.
Word play in which a word, phrase, verse, or sentence reads the same backward or forward.
pangram
A sentence that uses all the letters of the alphabet.
A sentence that uses all the letters of the alphabet.
parable
A short and simple story that illustrates a lesson.
A short and simple story that illustrates a lesson.
paradox
A statement that appears to contradict itself.
A statement that appears to contradict itself.
paragraph
A group of closely related sentences that develop a central idea.
A group of closely related sentences that develop a central idea.
paralepsis
Emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it. See apophasis.
Emphasizing a point by seeming to pass over it. See apophasis.
parallelism
Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses.
paraphrase
A restatement of a text or passage in another form or other words, often to clarify meaning.
A restatement of a text or passage in another form or other words, often to clarify meaning.
parataxis
Phrases or clauses arranged independently: a coordinate, rather than a subordinate, construction.
Phrases or clauses arranged independently: a coordinate, rather than a subordinate, construction.
parechesis
The repetition of the same sound in words that are close together.
The repetition of the same sound in words that are close together.
parenthesis
(1) Either or both of the upright curved lines, ( ), used to mark off explanatory or qualifying remarks in writing. (2) The insertion of a verbal unit that interrupts the normal flow of the sentence.
(1) Either or both of the upright curved lines, ( ), used to mark off explanatory or qualifying remarks in writing. (2) The insertion of a verbal unit that interrupts the normal flow of the sentence.
parison
Corresponding structure in a series of clauses.
Corresponding structure in a series of clauses.
parody
A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule.
A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule.
paronomasia
Punning, playing with words.
Punning, playing with words.
participle
A verbal that functions as an adjective.
A verbal that functions as an adjective.
particle
A word that does not change its form through inflection and does not easily fit into the established system of parts of speech.
A word that does not change its form through inflection and does not easily fit into the established system of parts of speech.
parts of speech
The categories into which words are classified according to their functions in sentences.
The categories into which words are classified according to their functions in sentences.
passive voice
A verb form in which the subject receives the verb's action.
A verb form in which the subject receives the verb's action.
past participle
The third principal part of a verb, created by adding -ed, -d, or -t to the base form of all regular verbs and many (but not all) irregular verbs.
The third principal part of a verb, created by adding -ed, -d, or -t to the base form of all regular verbs and many (but not all) irregular verbs.
past perfect tense
A verb tense that designates an action that has been completed before another past action.
A verb tense that designates an action that has been completed before another past action.
past tense
A verb tense (the second principal part of a verb) indicating action that occurred in the past and which does not extend into the present.
A verb tense (the second principal part of a verb) indicating action that occurred in the past and which does not extend into the present.
pathos
The means of persuasion in classical rhetoric that appeals to the audience's emotions.
The means of persuasion in classical rhetoric that appeals to the audience's emotions.
pejoration
The downgrading or depreciation of a word's meaning, as when a word with a positive sense develops a negative one.
The downgrading or depreciation of a word's meaning, as when a word with a positive sense develops a negative one.
pentad
In rhetoric, the set of five problem-solving probes developed by Kenneth Burke.
In rhetoric, the set of five problem-solving probes developed by Kenneth Burke.
period
(1) A punctuation mark ( . ) indicating a full stop, placed at the end of declarative sentences and other statements thought to be complete, and after many abbreviations. (2) A sentence of several carefully balanced clauses in formal writing.
(1) A punctuation mark ( . ) indicating a full stop, placed at the end of declarative sentences and other statements thought to be complete, and after many abbreviations. (2) A sentence of several carefully balanced clauses in formal writing.
periodic sentence
Long and frequently involved sentence, marked by suspended syntax, in which the sense is not completed until the final word--usually with an emphatic climax.
Long and frequently involved sentence, marked by suspended syntax, in which the sense is not completed until the final word--usually with an emphatic climax.
periphrasis
See "circumlocution"
See "circumlocution"
peroration
The closing part of an argument.
The closing part of an argument.
persona
Voice or mask that an author or speaker or performer puts on for a particular purpose.
Voice or mask that an author or speaker or performer puts on for a particular purpose.
personal pronoun
A pronoun that refers to a particular person, group, or thing.
A pronoun that refers to a particular person, group, or thing.
personification
A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities.
A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities.
persuasion
The use of appeals to reasons, values, beliefs, and emotions to convince a listener or reader to think or act in a particular way.
The use of appeals to reasons, values, beliefs, and emotions to convince a listener or reader to think or act in a particular way.
phatic communion
Nonreferential use of language to share feelings or to establish a mood of sociability rather than to communicate information or ideas.
Nonreferential use of language to share feelings or to establish a mood of sociability rather than to communicate information or ideas.
phoneme
The smallest sound unit in a language that is capable of conveying a distinct meaning.
The smallest sound unit in a language that is capable of conveying a distinct meaning.
phonetics
The branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of speech and their production, combination, description, and representation by written symbols.
The branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of speech and their production, combination, description, and representation by written symbols.
phonology
The branch of linguistics concerned with the study of speech sounds with reference to their distribution and patterning.
The branch of linguistics concerned with the study of speech sounds with reference to their distribution and patterning.
phrase
Any small group of words within a sentence or a clause.
Any small group of words within a sentence or a clause.
pleonasm
Redundancy; use of words to emphasize what is clear without them.
Redundancy; use of words to emphasize what is clear without them.
ploce
Repetition of a word with a new or specified sense, or with pregnant reference to its special significance.
Repetition of a word with a new or specified sense, or with pregnant reference to its special significance.
pluperfect tense
See past perfect tense.
See past perfect tense.
plurale tantum
A noun that appears only in the plural form and does not have a singular form.
A noun that appears only in the plural form and does not have a singular form.
polyptoton
Repetition of words derived from the same root but with different endings.
Repetition of words derived from the same root but with different endings.
polysyndeton
A style that employs a great many conjunctions (opposite of "asyndeton").
A style that employs a great many conjunctions (opposite of "asyndeton").
portmanteau word
A word formed by the blending of two or more other words.
A word formed by the blending of two or more other words.
possessive case
The inflected form of nouns and pronouns usually indicating ownership.
The inflected form of nouns and pronouns usually indicating ownership.
possessive pronoun
A personal pronoun that functions as an adjective by modifying nouns and showing ownership.
A personal pronoun that functions as an adjective by modifying nouns and showing ownership.
post hoc
A fallacy in which one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier.
A fallacy in which one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier.
predicate
One of the two main parts of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject and including the verb, objects, or phrases governed by the verb.
One of the two main parts of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject and including the verb, objects, or phrases governed by the verb.
prefix
A letter or group of letters attached to the beginning of a word that partly indicates its meaning.
A letter or group of letters attached to the beginning of a word that partly indicates its meaning.
premise
A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn; either the major or the minor proposition of a syllogism in a deductive argument.
A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn; either the major or the minor proposition of a syllogism in a deductive argument.
preposition
A word that indicates the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.
A word that indicates the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.
prepositional phrase
A group of words made up of a preposition, its object, and any of the object's modifiers.
A group of words made up of a preposition, its object, and any of the object's modifiers.
present participle
A verb form--made by adding "-ing" to the base form--that functions as an adjective.
A verb form--made by adding "-ing" to the base form--that functions as an adjective.
present perfect tense
A verb tense expressing an action that began in the past and which has been completed or continues into the present.
A verb tense expressing an action that began in the past and which has been completed or continues into the present.
present progressive tense
A verb tense (made up of a present participle with a form of the verb "to be") that conveys a sense of ongoing action.
A verb tense (made up of a present participle with a form of the verb "to be") that conveys a sense of ongoing action.
preterit
See past tense.
See past tense.
principal parts of a verb
The three forms of a verb: base form, past tense form, and past participle.
The three forms of a verb: base form, past tense form, and past participle.
process analysis
A method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer explains step by step how something is done or how to do something.
A method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer explains step by step how something is done or how to do something.
progymnasmata
Preliminary rhetorical exercises that introduce students to basic rhetorical concepts and strategies.
Preliminary rhetorical exercises that introduce students to basic rhetorical concepts and strategies.
prolepsis
(1) Foreseeing and forestalling objections in various ways. (2) Figurative device by which a future event is presumed to have already occurred.
(1) Foreseeing and forestalling objections in various ways. (2) Figurative device by which a future event is presumed to have already occurred.
pronoun
A word that takes the place of a noun.
A word that takes the place of a noun.
proper noun
A noun belonging to the class of words used as names for unique individuals, events, or places.
A noun belonging to the class of words used as names for unique individuals, events, or places.
proverb
Short, pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form.
Short, pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form.
pun
A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.
A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.
punctuation
Set of marks used to regulate texts and clarify their meanings, principally by separating or linking words, phrases, and clauses.
Set of marks used to regulate texts and clarify their meanings, principally by separating or linking words, phrases, and clauses.
qualifier
A word or phrase (such as "very") that precedes an adjective or adverb, increasing or decreasing the quality signified by the word they modify.
A word or phrase (such as "very") that precedes an adjective or adverb, increasing or decreasing the quality signified by the word they modify.
question mark
A punctuation symbol (?) written at the end of a sentence or phrase to indicate a direct question.
A punctuation symbol (?) written at the end of a sentence or phrase to indicate a direct question.
quotation marks
Either of a pair of punctuation marks (" ") used primarily to mark the beginning and end of a passage attributed to another and repeated word for word.
Either of a pair of punctuation marks (" ") used primarily to mark the beginning and end of a passage attributed to another and repeated word for word.