10 rhetorical devices used in political messages
Though some speech devices are obvious to spot during election season, many are more obscure. How many of these do you recognize?
In an election year, it’s tough to tune out all the pervasive and invasive political messaging.
It’s on social media, newsfeeds, TV, radio, pop-up ads that you can’t close fast enough. Although I’m not particularly interested in politics, I am intrigued by the ways candidates use rhetorical devices in their messages.
Many of us are familiar with the more common rhetorical devices, such as hyperbole, allusion and analogy; others are more obscure. Next time you hear a political message, see if you detect any of these rhetorical devices.
1. Allusion— an indirect or casual reference to a historical or literary figure, event or object.
Example: I guess we’re all waiting for a Mr. Darcy to come along.
2. Antiphrasis— the use of a word opposite to its proper meaning; irony.
Example: Sheila quietly yelled at Scott for not telling her about the system outage.
3. Apophasis— accentuating something by denying that it will be mentioned.
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