Notes on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Persuasive Language

Ethos

• Ethos is a Greek word meaning ‘character’.
• In persuasive language, ethos is an appeal to authority and credibility.
• Ethos aims to convince the audience of the speaker/writer’s reliable character or the credibility of the argument.
• It is important because if the audience perceives you as credible and trustworthy, you are more likely to persuade them.
• How to incorporate ethos:
  • Openly remind the audience who you are and why you are an authority on the subject (e.g., “As the leading researcher, I agree…”).
  • Establish authority more subtly through jargon or specialized terms (e.g., “My quantitative research in linguistic anthropology has shown…”).
  • Establish credibility by using correct grammar and language, solid reasoning, and good arguments.
• Ethos is an appeal to ethics; it convinces the audience of the character or credibility of the persuader.
• Why use ethos? If the audience believes you are qualified or an expert, they are more likely to be persuaded by your argument.
• Examples of ethos in persuasive language:
  • “I have been married for 58 years and I can tell you that he will not be a good husband to you.”
  • “Having written ten successful novels myself, I can tell you that this book is worth buying.”
  • “My friend, who has a PhD in nutritional science, says that we should eat fewer carbohydrates.”
  • If your audience believes you to be a credible figure or expert, they are more likely to be persuaded.
• TASK ONE (Ethos): For each of the following, identify whether or not ETHOS is used, and explain your reasoning.
  1. “You should definitely get help with your debt, & I say that as somebody with over 30 years experience of debt counseling.”
  • Yes. The speaker is referencing extensive experience to give credit to their opinion.
  • Experience of over 30 years suggests they would know what they are talking about.
  1. “As your father, I love you and only want the best for you. Therefore when I ask you not to go, please listen to me.”
  2. “We really should try that recipe. Someone told me that it was good.”
  3. “The research – conducted by professors at Harvard University – suggests that you should learn a second language.”
  4. “Dentists all over the world are telling their patients the same things. You must floss regularly.”
• TASK TWO (Ethos): For each scenario, write your own persuasive sentences using ethos:
  1. You are trying to persuade your mother to let you get a tattoo.
  2. You are attempting to convince an audience that animal testing is morally wrong.
  3. You are trying to persuade your teacher not to give you homework.

Pathos

• Pathos is a Greek word meaning ‘suffering’ or ‘experience’; in rhetoric, it is an appeal to the emotions.
• It seeks to persuade by evoking an emotional response in the audience/reader.
• How to incorporate pathos:
  • Use descriptive language and imagery that evoke emotions (e.g., “This life-saving dishwasher will enhance your life and lighten your load.”).
  • Identify values or emotions that relate to your audience and play on them (e.g., “I know you care for your family, so…”).
  • Use personal stories to appeal to sympathy and emotion (e.g., “When I lost my job, I knew how important it was to…”).
• Pathos as an appeal to emotion is intended to convince by creating an emotional response.
• Why use pathos? If your audience is emotionally invested and engaged with your cause, they are more likely to be persuaded.
• Examples of pathos in persuasive language:
  • “If you don’t go on this holiday you will regret it. You don’t want to live with regrets, do you?”
  • “You love your dog; so buy this dog food, as it will help him to get all his nutrients.”
  • “You have been poorly treated. You have been taken advantage of. Now is the time to take action.”
• Why use pathos: appealing to emotions can motivate action when the audience cares about the cause.
• Pathos—using pride:
  • “Don’t be the last person to get one. You don’t want to be the laughing stock of your school!”
• TASK ONE (Pathos): For each of the following, explain how pathos is used (you must identify the emotional appeal).
• TASK TWO (Pathos): For each scenario, write your own persuasive sentences using pathos:
  1. Persuade class to volunteer to tutor underprivileged children.
  2. Persuade a friend to join your sports team.
  3. Persuade an audience that they should buy a particular brand of cereal.
• Explain the example: “Don’t be the last person to get one… laughing stock”
  • This appeals to the audience’s sense of pride and fear of social embarrassment, encouraging action to maintain dignity.
• Examples for pathos:
  1. “If you don’t purchase this life insurance, and something happens to you, how will your family survive?”
  2. “We have been mistreated, abused and oppressed. They have benefited from our suffering and we must act now!”
  3. “We live in a great democracy. So donate now and support the troops who are protecting our freedom.”
  4. “Just eat and don’t complain. Children in Africa are starving and would give anything to have that plate of food.”
  5. “Caring for the environment may not change your life, but it will change the lives of your children.”

Logos

• Logos is a Greek word meaning ‘a word’ or ‘reason’; in rhetoric, it is an appeal to logic and reason.
• It persuades by logical thought, fact, and rationality; logical processes and evidence support the argument.
• Why use logos? A logical, rational argument engages the audience’s intellect and sense of reason, increasing persuasiveness.
• How to incorporate logos:
  • Use research and statistics to back up arguments (e.g., 87\% of students benefit from textbooks, so… ).
  • Use logical processes to explain points (e.g., “if this… then that…”, “If you don’t want gum disease, then you should brush regularly.”).
  • Provide convincing, solid evidence and reasons to support claims (e.g., “I need a car: it would make me more independent; save me money; improve my life.”).
• Logos examples:
  • “I’ve not eaten meat for 8 years, and I’m fit and healthy; you can’t argue that vegetarianism is always unhealthy.”
  • “We have conducted the experiment 57 times and we get the same results every single time.”
  • “That is not my wallet. My wallet has a tear in it. This wallet has no tear in it. Therefore, it cannot be mine.”
• TASK ONE (Logos): For each of the following, explain whether or not you think that logos is being used effectively.
• TASK TWO (Logos): For each scenario, write your own persuasive sentences using logos:
  1. Persuade your brother to stop eating chocolate.
  2. Convince your class that they shouldn’t drink and drive.
  3. Persuade an audience that they should exercise more often.
• Explain: “I need new jeans. Everyone in my class has new jeans.” ✓ This isn’t an effective use of logos as the reasoning is not logical or convincing (hyperbole; others having jeans does not logically imply you need them).
• Examples of logical fallacies or non-logical arguments:
  1. “All men and women will die. You are a man. Therefore, you will die one day.”
  2. “Everyone has children. Therefore, everyone needs to think about the schooling of his or her children.”
  3. “You don’t need to jump in front of a train to know it’s a bad idea; so why do you need to try drugs to know if they’re damaging?”
  4. “Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. So why start smoking?”
  5. “Every morning the rooster crows, then the sun rises. Therefore the rooster causes the sun to rise.”
• 3 out of 4: “3 out of 4 people surveyed said that they prefer our brand to any other. If you care about your teeth, make the wise choice and buy ShinyWhite before it’s too late.” (Pathos and Logos)

Advertising extracts (Ethos, Pathos, Logos)

• On page 6, you are asked to identify how ethos, pathos or logos is being used in advertisement extracts.
• Example ad lines:
  • MACARONNI CHEESE: “Just the way mom makes it.”
  • SHINEYWHITE MOUTHWASH: “Recommended by dentists.”
  • Other lines display different appeals (e.g., family values, professional endorsements, or factual claims).
• How to categorize:
  • Ethos: endorsement by a figure or institution (e.g., dentists, experts).
  • Pathos: emotional appeal (family, happiness, fear, desire).
  • Logos: logical claim or statistic (facts, data, logical arguments).
• Note: The page lists several unlabeled lines; identify which type is used for each.

Quick summary of key ideas

• Ethos, Pathos, Logos are three classical tools of persuasive language identified by Aristotle.
• Ethos: credibility and character; relies on the audience trusting the speaker.
• Pathos: emotional appeal; relies on the audience’s feelings.
• Logos: logical appeal; relies on reason, evidence, and argument structure.
• Effective persuasion often weaves all three elements, sometimes subtly, to appeal to ethics, emotion, and reason.
• In advertising, these appeals are used to influence consumer attitudes and behavior by signaling credibility, eliciting emotion, or presenting logical arguments.

Formulas, numbers, and explicit references (LaTeX)

• For fractions and statistics mentioned: \frac{3}{4} (three out of four).
• Example percentage: 87\% (from examples of using statistics).
• Logical arguments sometimes presented as simple conditional statements: if-then forms (e.g., \text{If } A \text{ then } B).
• Numerical examples used to support claims: 57 experiments, 8 years of vegetarianism, 58 years of marriage, etc.

Cross-topic connections

• Ethos, Pathos, and Logos can be combined within a single argument to address audience beliefs, emotions, and reason.
• Recognition of fallacies or weak logic is important when evaluating arguments (e.g., “Everyone has new jeans” as a poor logos example).
• Real-world relevance: these concepts apply to political speeches, marketing, media messaging, and everyday persuasive writing.

Ethical, philosophical, and practical implications

• Ethical persuasion requires honesty and respect for the audience; overreliance on fear (pathos) or manipulation of authority (ethos) can be unethical.
• Philosophically, Aristotle’s framework encourages awareness of how rhetoric can influence belief and action.
• Practically, understanding these appeals helps in both crafting effective messages and critically evaluating others’ messages.

Appendix: Task prompts for fast reference

• Ethos TASK ONE (5 items) and TASK TWO (three scenarios).
• Pathos TASK ONE (explain emotional appeals) and TASK TWO (three scenarios).
• Logos TASK ONE (evaluate effectiveness) and TASK TWO (three scenarios).
• Advertising exercise: classify advertisement lines as Ethos, Pathos, or Logos.