Rhetoric The art of speaking or writing effectively

Rhetoric The art of speaking or writing effectively

Aristotle According to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, rhetoric is “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion. ”

3 Main Forms of Rhetoric n. Ethos n. Logos n. Pathos

Ethos n Greek word for “Character” n Refers to the trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker n Persuasion may come from the writer’s reputation alone, as it may exist independently from the message

Examples of Ethos 9 out of 10 dentists recommend… (dentists are experts in their field- shows credibility) n Michael Jordan is a spokesperson for Nike (reputation) n Backing from a credible teacher, police officer, fire fighter etc… (credible sources that may have previous records of integrity) n

Examples of Ethos n “I am an ‘A’ student, with a reputation of following the rules on this campus…” n “I am involved in several activities on campus and understand what we need for _________ first-hand” n The Surgeon General warns that…

Truth is… You can’t expect people to agree with your opinion(s) or be persuaded by your ideas, unless that person is sure you know what you’re talking about! You need to be an expert on the topic of your choice!

Logos n Greek word for “word” n Refers to the clarity of the claim n Your opinion is supported with evidence, logic and reason! n Your argument, above all, is logical.

Examples of Logos n 98% of the consumers experienced some kind of relief from pain…(statistics) n Out of 100 people surveyed, 90 were in agreement that… (again, hard facts!) n We all want a clean environment… (appeal to logic)

Examples of Logos “Tackle football should be at AJHS because it is played at all of the Chandler high schools and we need to be prepared. ” n “The cafeteria should lower the price for a slice of pizza because I can purchase an entire large pizza from Little Cesar’s for $5. 00, which is less than the cost of three slices at AJHS. ” n

Truth is… It is difficult to argue with facts, statistics, and reason!

Pathos n Greek word for suffering and experience n An emotional appeal n The reader or audience can identify with the writer’s point of view n Usually persuaded by a story

Examples of Pathos n Weight loss infomercials (stories) n Motivational speakers n State of the Union Address or Presidential speeches n Editorials (Opinions) n The Press- Newspaper and T. V.

Examples of Pathos Describe a story about something you’ve seen on campus n Provide an anecdote about something that has happened to you personally n Ask someone to look at the situation from your point of view n

Truth is… Many of us pass judgment or make decisions based on our emotions, rather than logic and evidence. If we feel passionately about a message, we will be compelled to take the next step and actually do something about it.

Analyze These Examples for type and effectiveness: 1. An advertisement for a food product for children states that "Moms who love their children, buy Huggies diapers. ” 2. Upon approaching a cashier at the grocery store she asks, "Will you help starving children today by adding $3 to your grocery bill? " 3. Referring to the United States White House as the president's "playground“ 4. The term "illegal immigrants" is now being replaced by "undocumented workers" 5. When at a restaurant, the server suggests, "Can I add some of our delicious sweet potato fries to your entree for a dollar more? "

Rhetorical Tools Alliteration n Occurs when a series of words in a row (or close to a row) have the same first consonant sound. n Example: "This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in the time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. ” Barak Obama Fort Hood Memorial Speech Repetition n n The repetition or restatement of an idea not only promotes clarity, but encourages the acceptance of an idea. Thus, other competing ideas seem inferior and are sometimes driven completely from of the audience's mind. Example: “…serve together and “… fight together and bleed together. ”

Rhetorical Tools Continued Metaphor n n The use of metaphors can often lure someone to your side as it illustrates strength or weakness Obama describes a light military strike as being a pinprick and stated that, “Let me make something clear: The United States military doesn’t do pinpricks. ” Rhetorical Questions n n A question as that question that does not expect an answer. The speaker is implying that the answer is too obvious to require a reply or merely as a way of making a point. For Example: “Can we agree that this will not happen again? ” Or “How can I ever repay you? ”

Rhetorical Analysis Continued Allusion: Using historical references or literary references. For example: n http: //www. newyorker. com/online/blogs/he ndrikhertzberg/2013/01/obamas-inauguralallusions. html n

Bias n Definition: prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. n Which sentence shows the author’s bias? A. The group of people walked into the company president’s office. B. The people entered the company president’s office. C. The mob rushed into the company president’s office. D. The men and women met with the company president. n n n n n Which sentence shows the author’s bias? A. I noticed the smell of food cooking when I entered the kitchen. B. I noticed the bitter stench of burnt food when I entered the kitchen. C. I noticed that food was cooking on the stove when I entered. D. I noticed that both my father and my mother were preparing dinner.