What is Rhetoric?

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Oct. 2, 2007 (2)
What is Rhetoric?
Rhetoric is the art of speaking and writing
effectively for interpersonal communication,
either orally, or in written form. (Ref. WR - P.
142)
Voice a writers or speakers ability to
communicate his or her personality and vision of
the world in writing or speaking. (WR 6)
Journal Writing is helpful to develop VOICE. (WR
6)
Reading Assignment PP. 3-17
All the photos have been reproduced through the
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please do not duplicate without permission of the
authors.
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http//rhetoric.eserver.org/
What is RHETORIC?
RHETORIC Composition
RHETORIC Speech

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric
• Rhetoric (from Greek ??t??, rhêtôr, orator,
  teacher) is the art or technique of persuasion,
  usually through the use of language. Rhetoric is
  one of the three original liberal arts (the other
  members are dialectic (??)and grammar) in Western
  culture. In ancient and medieval times, grammar
  concerned itself with correct language use
  through the study and criticism of literary
  models, dialectic concerned itself with the
  testing and invention of new knowledge through a
  process of question and answer, and rhetoric
  concerned itself with persuasion in public and
  political settings such as assemblies and courts
  of law.
• From another point of view, however, the problems
  of rhetoric can be seen as involving a
  relation to philosophy. (Semantics, Syntax and
  discourse anlysis)

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Plato outlined the difference between true and
false rhetoric.
Plato (427-347 BC) has famously outlined the
differences between true and false rhetoric in a
number of dialogues, but especially the Gorgias
and the Phaedrus. Both dialogues are complex and
difficult, but in both Plato disputes the
Sophistic notion that an art of persuasion, the
art of the Sophists which he calls "rhetoric"
(after the public speaker or rhêtôr) can exist
independent of the art of dialectic. Plato claims
that since Sophists appeal only to what seems
likely or probable, rather than to what is true,
they are not at all making their students and
audiences "better," but simply flattering them
with what they want to hear. Plato's animosity
against the Sophists derives not only from their
inflated claims to teach virtue, but from the
fact that his teacher, Socrates, was accused of
being a sophist and ultimately sentenced to death
for his teaching. In his dialogues, Plato
attempts to distinguish the rhetoric common to
Socratic questioning from Sophistry.
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric
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Sixteenth century
One influential figure in the rebirth of interest
in classical rhetoric was Erasmus (c.1466-1536).
His work, De Duplici Copia Verborum et Rerum
(1512), was widely published (it went through
more than 150 editions throughout Europe) and
became one of the basic school texts on the
subject. Its treatment of rhetoric is less
comprehensive than the classic works of
antiquity, but provides a traditional treatment
of res-verba (matter and form) its first book
treats the subject of elocutio, showing the
student how to use schemes and tropes the second
book covers inventio. Much of the emphasis is on
abundance of variation (copia means "plenty" or
"abundance", as in copious or cornucopia), so
both books focus on ways to introduce the maximum
amount of variety into discourse. For instance,
in one section of the De Copia, Erasmus presents
two hundred variations of the sentence "Semper,
dum vivam, tui meminero".
Desiderius Erasmus was an exponent of classical
rhetoric
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One of Ramus' followers, Audomarus Talaeus (Omer
Talon) published his rhetoric, Institutiones
Oratoriae, in 1544. This work provided a simple
presentation of rhetoric that emphasized the
treatment of style, and became so popular that it
was mentioned in John Brinsley's (1612) Ludus
literarius or The Grammar Schoole as being the
"most used in the best schooles." Many other
Ramist rhetorics followed in the next
half-century, and by the 1600s, their approach
became the primary method of teaching rhetoric in
Protestant and especially Puritan circles. See
Walter J. Ong, Ramus and Talon Inventory (Harvard
University Press, 1958) Joseph S. Freedman,
Philosophy and the Arts in Central Europe,
1500-1700 Teaching and Texts at Schools and
Universities (Ashgate, 1999). John Milton
(1608-1674) wrote a textbook in logic or
dialectic in Latin based on Ramus' work, which
has now been translated into English by Walter J.
Ong and Charles J. Ermatinger in The Complete
Prose Works of John Milton (Yale University
Press, 1982 8 206-407), with a lengthy
introduction by Ong (144-205). The introduction
is reprinted in Ong's Faith and Contexts
(Scholars Press, 1999 4 111-41).
John Milton, English poet and rhetorician
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Great Speeches of the 20th Century. 1991. LA
Rhino Word Beat
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Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863 Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania
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The spot where Lincoln Delivered his memorable
Gettysburg Address in 1863.
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The Gettysburg Address Four score and seven
years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal. Now we are engaged in a
great civil war, testing whether that nation, or
any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can
long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of
that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of
that field, as a final resting place for those
who here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this. But in a larger sense, we
cannot dedicate - we cannot consecrate - we
cannot hallow - this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add
or detract. The world will little note, nor long
remember, what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have
thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us
to be here dedicated to the great task remaining
before us - that from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last full measure of devotion - that we
here highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain - that this nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom - and that
government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863
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Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. USA
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Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. (Photo by
Chen-ching Li Sep. 3, 2005)
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The Gettysburg Address Four score and seven
years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal. Now we are engaged in a
great civil war, testing whether that nation, or
any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can
long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of
that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of
that field, as a final resting place for those
who here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this. But in a larger sense, we
cannot dedicate - we cannot consecrate - we
cannot hallow - this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add
or detract. The world will little note, nor long
remember, what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have
thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us
to be here dedicated to the great task remaining
before us - that from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last full measure of devotion - that we
here highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain - that this nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom - and that
government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863
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Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863
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Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream"
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"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully
execute the Office of President of the United
States, and will try to the best of my ability,
to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States."
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We observe today not a victory of party but a
celebration of freedomsymbolizing an end as well
as a beginningsignifying renewal as well as
change.
And so, my fellow Americans ask not what your
country can do for youask what you can do for
your country.
My fellow citizens of the world ask not what
America will do for you, but what together we can
do for the freedom of man.
From a rhetorical point of view, what do you
think are the unique features In these three
paragraphs of President John F.
Kennedys Inaugural address?
John F. Kennedy, President of USA Friday, Jan.
20, 1961 Washington, D.C.
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I am not a crook.
The bunch of crooks who run the government
deserve severe penalty.
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President Richard Nixon of the United States of
America visited the Peoples Republic of China at
the invitation of Premier Chou En-lai of the
Peoples Republic of China from February 21 to
February 28, 1972. Accompanying the President
were Mrs. Nixon, U.S. Secretary of State William
Rogers, Assistant to the President Dr. Henry
Kissinger, and other American officials.
The U.S. side declared The United States
acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of
the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China
and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United
States Government does not challenge that
position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful
settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese
themselves. With this prospect in mind, it
affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal
of all U.S. forces and military installations
from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will
progressively reduce its forces and military
installations on Taiwan as the tension in the
area diminishes.
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Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia Jan.
17 2006
The Harvard-educated economist and
grandmother promised to rid her country of
corruption, and set the stage for recovery from
Liberias bitter and violent past.
Johnson Sirleaf promised Monday to unite her
people. We know that your vote was a vote for
change, a vote for peace, security and stability,
a vote for individual and national prosperity, a
vote for healing and leadership, she said. We
have heard you loudly. (USA Today Jan. 17, 2006)
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Not that I love Caesar less, But I love Rome
more. (Brutus)
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Definition of modern RHETORIC
RHETORIC simply means the art of speaking or
writing effectively. (From Writers Resources by
Julie Robitaille and Robert Connelly, P. 142)
Rhetorical patterns are ways of organizing
information. Rhetorical patterns can be Used to
structure paragraphs, essays, and exams. Becoming
familiar with the various rhetorical patterns
with the various rhetorical patterns can help you
become better writer or speaker because you will
learn various strategies for organizing and
presenting information. (From Writers Resources
by Julie Robitaille and Robert Connelly, P.
142) Also, grammar and semantics will help you
polish your writing and speech from a rhetorical
point of view. Eventually, you will become a
truly competent speaker and writer. (Li 2006)
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For Many West Virginians, Leaving Is First Step
Home By Ian Urbina (2007)
People leave (West Virginia) because they have
to, not because they want to.
Finding His Place on the Mound and in the
World By Tyler Kepner (2007)
He pitches with a sense of purpose and
responsibility. For the Yankees Chien-Ming Wang,
celebrity and earning potential grow with every
ground ball.
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Oct. 1, 2007
What is Rhetoric?
Rhetoric is the art of speaking and writing
effectively for interpersonal communication,
either orally, or in written form. (Ref. WR - P.
142)
Voice ????? a writers or speakers ability to
communicate his or her personality and vision of
the world in writing or speaking. (WR 6)
Journal Writing is helpful to develop VOICE. (WR
6)
Reading Assignment PP. 3-17