One of the first days of class we asked ourselves this situation. what is Rhetoric and why/how should we use it. Obviously that will be one of the main objectives of this class to answer but I thought this video was a quick assessment of just those questions.
Her Idea of rhetoric is similar to Aristotle's in that she says "words that can be understood, without adjusting the truth factor." Ethics seem to come up time and again when it comes to using Rhetoric.
This woman opens by saying that rhetoric is speaking with eloquence and grace. That is so far from what aristotle tried to say it is. It is not just pretty words it is a structured style of speech that ones uses to make a point or persuade an audience. I think I would have to disagree with the speaker in this video.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually how I was introduced to rhetoric in high school which is why I'm having such a hard time accepting rhetoric as solely a means of persuasion. I still think of rhetoric as the structure in which persuasion is implemented in a speech/paper/what-have-you. Why else would the ways in which words are arranged in sentences and paragraphs be called 'rhetorical devices'?
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