Frequently Asked Questions on Rhetoric

Que 1. What is Rhetoric?

Ans. Rhetoric means the art of persuading, along with grammar & logic. It studies the techniques writers / speakers use in order to inform, persuade, or motivate audience in certain situations.

Que 2. What are the Elements of Rhetoric?

Ans. Rhetorical situation means identifying the relationship among elements of communication like the –

• audience, 
• author (rhetor), 
• purpose, 
• medium,
• context &
• content .

Que 3. What is an example of Rhetoric?

Ans. Use of rhetoric can be seen in almost every field of employment, be it communicating professionally with colleagues & customers or writing reports. Below are a few examples of situations where rhetoric has been used to achieve a goal.

a) Since ancient times, the idea of rhetoric has been connected with politics. In a democratic society, it’s crucial for politicians to send timely messages for a deep understanding of the wants of the audience which further helps to advance their goal of being elected. As a citizen, if we analyze the rhetorical situation & appeals being used in political discourse can help one know the real intentions of the speaker & whether one chooses to ascribe to their argument.

Senator Obama in his ‘Red & Blue’ speech during the 2004 Democratic Convention, understood the rhetorical situation; & seized a rhetorical moment , his powers of persuasion (logos, ethos & pathos) & gave a compelling speech. Obama used rhetoric in order to persuade his audience to think in a certain way. Many historians are of the view that this began his ascent to the presidency.”

b) Job interviews

While preparing for a job interview, one is essentially making an argument to the potential employer about why s/he is suitable for the job. It’s crucial to know the genre, context, audience, exigency & purpose.

The rhetorical situation is the company one wants to work for, the audience is the supervisor, & as the rhetor one knows this is a formal situation, so one needs to dress up in a suit.

Que 4. What are some Rhetorical Devices?

• Hyperbole
• Meiosis
• Apostrophe
• Metaphor
• Chiasmus 

Speaking or writing that’s intended to persuade is known as Rhetoric. If we intend to write editorial columns, or while forming points for a debate or an argumentative essay, we should work on our rhetoric.

The word “ Rhetoric“ has a Greek origin which means “speaker” which is used for the art of persuasive speaking or writing. While listening eagerly to long speeches & while studied them in school, rhetoric was used by people in a positive sense; now it is often seen as a negative term, that implies artfulness over real content. For instance, if a person gives a clever speech but doesn’t mention the problem that needs to be addressed, one can say, “That’s just a lot of rhetoric.”