rhetoric
Art of persuasion
Rhetoric is the use of language to persuade.
The word rarely has positive connotations; people often use it to characterize language that attempts to manipulate: He used exaggerated rhetoric to rally opposition to the proposal.
Journalists use political rhetoric to convey that what was said was motivated by partisan concerns rather than to promote the common good.
Empty rhetoric is a way to characterize language or promises devoid of sincerity.
Formal eloquent discourse
- fluencySmooth linguistic command
- dictionChoice of words
- expressivenessAbility to convey emotion
- articulateExpress clearly, or well-spoken
silver-tongued · grandiloquence · elegance · vividness · clarity · cadence · flourish · elocution
Biased information for influence
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- obfuscationDeliberate concealment through confusion
equivocation · doublespeak · dogwhistle · fearmongering · strawman · misdirection · gaslighting · talking-points
Collective moral character
- pathosPity-evoking quality
- logosBrand identification symbols
- appealFormal review request
- convinceCause to believe
influence · suasion · credibility · trustworthiness · argument · sway · coax · enticement
Repeated opening words
- antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
- chiasmusInverted parallel construction
- parallelismMatching structural elements
- metaphorImplied identity comparison
metonymy · synecdoche · irony · paradox · hyperbole · litotes · euphemism · alliteration
Organized effort toward goal
- platformRaised flat structure
- sloganMemorable promotional phrase
- soundbiteBrief broadcast excerpt
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
debate · pundit · speechwriter · address · inaugural · barnstorming · rally · canvassing
Greek founder of formal logic
- CiceroAncient Rome's greatest speaker
- triviumFoundational verbal arts trio
- deliberativeCharacterized by careful consideration
- forensicPertaining to legal investigation
progymnasmata · canons · invention · arrangement · commonplace · topoi · decorum · sophists
Science of valid reasoning
- premisesProperty with buildings
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- fallaciesInvalid logical arguments
induction · deduction · validity · soundness · counterargument · proposition · inference · evidence
Arranged elements forming whole
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
- pedagogyArt of instruction
- stylisticsStudy of expressive language
pragmatics · Burke · exigence · hermeneutics · multimodality
oratory
Formal eloquent discourse
- fluencySmooth linguistic command
- dictionChoice of words
- expressivenessAbility to convey emotion
articulate · silver-tongued · grandiloquence · elegance · vividness · clarity · cadence · flourish · elocution · declamation
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
obfuscation · equivocation · doublespeak · dogwhistle · fearmongering · strawman · misdirection · gaslighting · talking-points · framing
ethos
Collective moral character
convince · influence · suasion · credibility · trustworthiness · argument · sway · coax · enticement · discourse
anaphora
Repeated opening words
- antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
- chiasmusInverted parallel construction
- parallelismMatching structural elements
metaphor · metonymy · synecdoche · irony · paradox · hyperbole · litotes · euphemism · alliteration · polysyndeton
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
filibuster · debate · pundit · speechwriter · address · inaugural · barnstorming · rally · canvassing · messaging
Aristotle
Greek founder of formal logic
- CiceroAncient Rome's greatest speaker
- triviumFoundational verbal arts trio
- deliberativeCharacterized by careful consideration
progymnasmata · forensic · canons · invention · arrangement · commonplace · topoi · decorum · sophists · Demosthenes
logic
Science of valid reasoning
- premisesProperty with buildings
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
fallacies · induction · deduction · validity · soundness · counterargument · proposition · inference · evidence · refutation
composition
Arranged elements forming whole
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- communicationExchanging ideas or information
- pedagogyArt of instruction
stylistics · pragmatics · Burke · exigence · hermeneutics · multimodality
- medieval learningmedieval universities, trivium, scholasticism, liberal arts, monastery
- academic fieldsmathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history
- Ancient Greece & RomeGreek myths, Roman myths, mythology, muses, Apollo
- humanitiesphilosophy, history, literature, philosophy class, novels
- literary formsnovel, novels, novella, poetry, poetry collections
- literature and languagepoetry, prose, fiction, grammar, syntax
rhetoricplain speech
Unembellished verbal expression
plain language · directness · simplicity · conciseness · plainness
rhetoricinarticulateness
Inability to speak clearly
inarticulation · speechlessness · tongue-tiedness · incoherence · mumbling
- rhetorical questionInquiry posed for effect
- rhetorical argumentPersuasion through structured discourse
- inflammatory rhetoric
- rhetorical deviceCalculated language technique for effect
- political rhetoricPersuasive governmental discourse
- rhetorical flourishDecorative language technique
rhetorical, rhetorician, rhetorically, rhetoricians, rhetorical device, rhetorical question