Rhetoric

 Rhetoric 

Rhetorical Analysis

  • Are you able to persuade someone to believe a lie? 

  • Breaking down messages and how rhetoric was used to persuade


Rhetoric

  •  the art of persuasion. What speakers use in their message to be persuasive.

The speaker is the person who is trying to persuade

The audience is the one who is being persuaded
Message: the topic that is being transmitted from the speaker to the audience

The purpose is different from the message as the purpose is transmitted in the message.


S-Speaker

P-Purpose

A-Audience

C-Context

E-Exigence: Deadline for the message to be delivered


Rhetorical Strategies

  • Device Choices 

  • Appeals (pathos)

  • Tone


Origin of the Language of Appeals

  • Aristotle was interested in rhetoric and how people can persuade and be persuaded.

  • “The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid, or more valid than someone else.

  • These elements play a crucial role in any argument that you write or analyze

  •  The Rhetoric Triangle is a method to organize three elements of rhetoric

    • Elements - ethos, pathos, logos - are arranged on a triangle with logos on top and ethos and pathos at the bottom corners

    • Play a crucial role in any argument

  • These elements play a crucial role in any argument that you write or analyze

  • Ethos

    • An appeal that relies on the expertise, knowledge, and credibility of the persuader

    • Ethos is related to the English word ethics and refers to the speaker's or writer's trustworthiness or credibility.

    • Effective persuasive strategy

    • Refers to the act of determining what is morally right or wrong 

    • Is there a universal right or wrong on any given topic?

    • “It is always wrong to lie.” 

    • “but sometimes it's ok to lie.”

    • When someone is trying to persuade you, and you share the same ethics as that person, you may be more inclined to agree with them.

    • Ethos could be achieved by being a notable figure in the field (as they might know what is right or wrong, making them more trustworthy)

  • Logos

    • The logic behind an argument

    • Tries to persuade an audience using facts, figures, and data that support the speaker's claims

    • It also enhances ethos because the information makes the speaker look credible and prepared.

    • It relies on the audience's intelligence to persuade them. This causes audiences to be more skeptical of emotional arguments and more receptive to logos.

    • Can also be the facts and statistics used to help support the argument

  • Pathos

    • Pathos applies to the audience’s emotions

    • It is most effective when the author demonstrates agreement with the underlying values of the audience

    • Can be particularly effective if used well

    • Can be in the form of a metaphor, simile, a passionate delivery

    • Speakers may use pathos to appeal to fear in order to sway the audience


Rhetorical Terms, Definitions, And Examples

  • Allegory

    • A narrative in which the characters sometimes the settings represent general concepts and ideas

    • Fables in which personified animals are used allegorically to teach le

    • ssons of human conduct

  • Alliteration

    • A stylistic device influenced by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words

    • Peter piper picked a  

  • Allusion

    • A reference to a person, place, event, or thing from history, mythology, literature

    • Types: historical, classical/mythological, literary, topical

  • Amphilication

    • When a a writer makes a point twice in a row, with greater emphasis, details, or explanation the second time thus amplifying it

    • Love, real love, takes time

  • Anadiplosis

    • The repetition of the last word of a preceding clause; the word is used at the end of a sentence or a clause, then at the beginning of the next sentence or clause

    • “.. you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness and goodness with knowledge and knowledge with self control and self control etc.”

  • Analogy

    • Using something well known to draw or develop an understanding of a lesser-known or unfamiliar concept

    • Comparing and anthill to a urban centre helps to convey the fact that anthills are heavily populated, busy, and have regular pattern of activity and movement

  • Anaphora

    • The repetition of words(plural) or phrases AT the beginning of a group of sentences or a clauses

    • I have a dream speech

  • Anecdote

    • A short, amusing, or interesting story, especially one that is true

  • Antithesis

    • A contrast made clear by using contrasting language; using language to emphasize the difference between two opposite ideas or things

    • Ex. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of may”

  • Bias

    • An opinion or influence that strongly favours one option or an idea or another.

  • Conduplicato

    • A type or repetition in which the key words in a phrase, clause, or sentence are repeated or NEAR the beginning of successive phrasets, clauses , or sentences

    • “I am filled with a profound and abiding gratitude to the American people. Gratitude  is a word that I cherish. Gratitude Is what defines the humanity of the human being:

  • Connotation

    • The associated meanings a word implies or suggests; personal meaning attached to a word

    • Home connotes intimacy, privacy, coziness

    • The word ‘cool’ connotes acceptance or agreement; admiration or approval

  • Denotation

    • The thing or situation to which a word specifically refers; the definition in the dictionary

    • The word ‘home’ denoted the place where a person lives; a dwelling place;

    • The word ‘cool’ is defines as a moderately cold

  • Figurative Language

    • The use of language to produce images or recall memories in a reader’s mind

      • Types: metaphor; simile; personification; hyperbole

  • Parallelism

    • The repetition of a specific words, phrases, or clauses in a series, giving emphasis to key words and making them memorable; presents parallel thoughts with parallel form

      • ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people” (preposition, definite article, and noun)

      • ‘To err is human, to forgive divine’ (infinitive verb and adjective repeated)

  • Repetition

    • Repeating sounds, words, phrases; used for emphasis and rhythm

      • REPETITION can be seen as a umbrella term. There are multiple devices that use repetition (conduplicato, anaphora)

      • Repetition can also be used more generally. For example repeating a keyword or phrase throughout a speech 

      • It is important to be as specific as possible whenever you can

        • “There is no mistake; there has been no mistake’

  • Reversals

    • Making a balanced sentence even more memorable by repeating the words in reverse order

      • ‘ Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country’

  • Rhetorical Question

    • A question posed whose answer is already known or implied

      • CAn anyone deny that the microchip has revolutionized communication

      • Can fish swim

      • Can birds fly

  • Satire

    • Ridicule, irony, or sarcasm in speech or writing (or media); a novel, play, etc. that ridicules peoples hypocrisy or foolishness

      • Simpsons, Family guy, south park

  • Understatement

    • A figure of speech wherein understatement is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for effect; this can create a reverse effect and add a touch of irony by making the fact seem les significant

      • Hes no genius (meaning hes an idiot)