WHAT IS RHETORIC?

1. WHAT IS RHETORIC? A Brief overview

2. R-H-E-T-O-R-I-C R – aRistotle H – Hyperbole E – Enthymeme T – Three O’s – Ethos, Pathos and Logos O – Oration R – aRgument I – Interdisciplinary (Ethics, Politics, Philosophy) C – Canons (Invention, Organization, Elocution, Delivery and Memory)

3. Definitions to Ponder Rhetoric is, according to: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language: “The study of effective or persuasive speaking and writing, especially as practised in public oratory” (Crystal) The Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “the art of speaking or writing effectively” and “a skill in the effective use of speech” (Merriam) So what is it? An art? A skill? A study? Or all of three and possibly more?

4. R ARISTOTLE Aristotle was a student of one of the most outspoken opponents of rhetoric (Plato), yet his work has remained universally influential in the study of this topic. Though Aristotle wasn’t the first person to delve into the subject – this credit goes to Corax of Syracuse – his writing resulted in a foundation from which many after him have built upon.

5. H HYPERBOLE Rhetoric has a lot of negative connotation associated with it. Historically, this stems from Plato’s severe treatment of the discipline – and the Sophist’s who taught it, as well as modern days uses of rhetoric, particularly involving political discourse. The term is used synonymously with phrases like: “smoke and mirrors” (Peeples) and words like Hyperbole, Pomposity, and Verbosity (Thesaurus.com). However, it’s important to also recognize that rhetoric plays a large part in many aspects of our daily lives – from newspapers to corporate reports to medical records. Understanding rhetoric and how it can be utilized properly can help improve our understanding of written and verbal communication.

6. E Enthymeme Aristotle defines an enthymeme as a syllogism. A syllogism is a deductive argument that is used in logic. A deductive argument is when a “group of statements (premises) lead to another group of statements (conclusion)” (Rapp). In this sense, one of the key components of rhetoric must be to build a believable case. Example of a modern advertising enthymeme: Packaging: “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Great for Topping & Cooking 0 Calories per serving 0g Trans Fat” Consumer: I want a product to use for topping and cooking that isn’t as bad for me as real butter Conclusion: I will purchase I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray This product packaging utilizes rhetoric to encourage consumers to purchase it based on logic. Its argument speaks to the needs or desires of the consumer and this is what persuades them in the end.

7. T The Three O’s – Logos, Pathos and Ethos Aristotle describes rhetoric as: “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion” (Peeples). If your goal is to persuade, then he believed that your means of persuasion is accomplished in one of three ways: Logos – Within the argument itself, using logic and reasoning. Pathos – By way of the audience’s emotions. Ethos – With author’s credibility, character or trustworthiness.

8. O Oration or Oratory Rhetoric is most commonly associated with oral discourse, particularly political speeches. A good way to tell if rhetoric is at work is if there is an opinion to be swayed or a conclusion to be drawn. Of course, this is just a rule of thumb and not all inclusive, as rhetoric can be found just about anywhere. One reason for this is because of the wide-variety of definitions for the term. If you consider it simply the art of speaking or writing well, then probably a second doesn’t go by that you’re not exposed to rhetoric in some form.

9. R aRgument Not argument as in a disagreement – but argument as in the process of reasoning. In rhetoric, this can take the form of debate, a speech, a report, an advertisement, even a collage essay, etc. The goal is to be persuasive or effective and in order to do so, a valid argument must be presented. Examples of this might be a thesis statement, a campaign slogan or even a Presidential address. Whenever someone is attempting to convince someone else of something, rhetoric is in use.

10. I Interdisciplinary Rhetoric “played a role in education in the Middle Ages as one of the three great liberal arts” (Peeples). Just like in modern times, school curriculums are developed around a core of required courses, so was rhetoric in ancient times. Rhetoric is also closely related to three other disciplines: Philosophy Ethics Politics This relationship helps shape how rhetoric is perceived, defined and treated.

11. C The Five Canons Aristotle wrote extensively about the ingredients necessary for good rhetoric. Author Tim Peeples describes these as “form[ing] the parameter of its study for centuries.” They are: Invention – figuring out what arguments to use. Organization – how to arrange the arguments. Elocution – what words should be used. Delivery – how the first three canons are presented Memory – the impact on the intended audience

12. So What Is Rhetoric? It’s: The effective use of words, either verbally or written The art of persuasion The relationship between what you say and how you say it (Burton). And much, much more *This overview was designed to stimulate further study on the subject. For further reading, please start with “Works Cited” below.

13. Bibliography Peeples, Tim. Professional Writing and Rhetoric. New York: Longman, 2003. Rapp, Christoff. “Aristotle’s Rhetoric” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2 May 2002. Stanford University. 6 Nov. 2010. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-rhetoric/#enthymeme> Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encylopedia of The English Language. 2nd ed. New York, Cambridge University Press: 2003 Russo, M. “On Rhetoric II” Rhetoric the Art of Persuasion. 2000. Molloy College. 6 Nov. 2010. http://www.molloy.edu/sophia/aristotle/rhetoric/rhetoric2c_nts.htm#III.Enthymemes. Burton, Gideon O. “What is rhetoric?” SilvaeRhetoricae. 6 Nov. 2010. Brigham Young University. http://rhetoric.byu.edu/encompassing%20terms/rhetoric.htm “rhetoric.” Merriam-Webster Online. 2010. Merriam-Webster. 6 Nov. 2010. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetoric>