Rhetoric The art of speaking or writing effectively.

According to Aristotle… “The ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion” In other words, how do people use the language to effectively convince others that their argument is the best? We will look at three major categories of rhetoric: appeal to credibility or character, appeal to emotion, appeal to logic or reason

Appeal to Credibility or Character  An appeal based on the writer/speaker’s image, reputation, or character  If the audience believes a writer/speaker has a good image or reputation, it is more likely to believe what he or she says  Example: actors, musicians, and athletes endorse products like make-up and Gatorade

Appeal to Emotion  An appeal based on the emotions of the audience  Emotions such as anger, pity, and fear (and their opposites) powerfully influence our rational judgments  Example: a fundraiser for leukemia research uses images of children undergoing chemotherapy in its advertisements

Appeal to Logic or Reason  An appeal based on logic and rationality  These arguments are often based on probabilities rather than certain truth  Convince the audience to accept your assumptions as probably true  Expose questionable assumptions in someone else’s argument to make yours more attractive  Example: a clinical study shows that 80% of people feel better after receiving a hug, therefore hugs make people feel better

Rhetorical Devices  Specific ways of using language to make your arguments more persuasive  Similar to literary devices or poetic devices

ALLUSION  Reference to a famous person or event  Example: “Most people who have tried ProActive, including Jessica Simpson, think it is the best acne treatment on the market.”

ANAPHORA  Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginnings of successive phrases/clauses/lines  Example: “I will not eat green eggs and ham. I will not eat them in a box. I will not eat them with a fox.”

EUPHEMISM  Substitution of an agreeable or non-offensive expression for one whose meaning might be harsh or unpleasant  Example: Calling someone “mature” instead of “old”

HYPERBOLE  Extreme exaggeration  Example: “If that politician is elected we will all die!”

OXYMORON  A figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms  Example: “There was a deafening silence in the room” (side note - oxymoron is itself an oxymoron. The root ‘oxy’ is Greek for ‘sharp’ while the root ‘moros’ is Greek for ‘dull’)

Works Cited  Cal State LA. 15 Mar  University of Kentucky. 15 Mar < edu/AS/classics/rhetoric.html>.