Understanding Rhetoric Review

Understanding Rhetoric

Review

Colvin 6th - 8th

Vocabulary

Appeal: a serious or urgent request
Figure of Speech: a word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense
Semantics: how words and phrases are interpreted
Credible: able to be believed; convincing
Logic: a way of thinking that's is reasonable and based on good judgment
Reason: the ability to think, understand, and form judgments by applying logic

What is “Rhetoric”?

Rhetoric is the art or skill of
effective speaking or writing,
especially the beautiful and efficient
use of figures of speech.

Rhetorical questions are statements made in the

form of questions with no expectation of an answer.
Verbal Irony is when statements mean the opposite

of what is said. Sarcasm is verbal irony that is

mocking or derogatory.

Rhetorical

Questions, Verbal
Irony & Sarcasm

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle

Thousands of years ago, Aristotle
provided us with three ways to appeal
to an audience called: logos, pathos, and
ethos.

The triangle–Aristotle’s Rhetorical
Triangle–shows the three ways to make
persuasive appeals:

1.Ethos: credibility, ethics, or morals

2.

Logos: logic or reason

3.Pathos: emotion

Rhetorical Devices

Writers use rhetorical devices to help
them persuade their audience. A
rhetorical device is a figure of speech
intended to have an effect on its
audience.
●

Since rhetoric is persuasive, that
effect must persuade the reader
to the writer’s perspective.

Common Rhetorical Devices

Write these down!

Antithesis

A contrast of ideas by

means of parallel

arrangements of words

or phrases

Asyndeton

Omitting conjunctions

that ordinarily join
words or clauses

Chiasmus

words, phrases, or

concepts are repeated
in reverse order, in the
same or a modified form

Synecdoche

When a part is put for

the whole

Metonymy

the use of a linked term
to stand in for an object

or concept

Zeugma

a word applies to two

others in different

senses or to two others
of which it semantically

suits only one

Examples

Antithesis: “Go big or go home.”

●“Big” and “home” are contrasting each other.

○Going big would be putting everything on the line while going home would be giving up

Asyndeton: “They observe, they take up, they complete it.”

●Notice how “they” is being placed in between each action.

Chiasmus: ““Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.”

●By reversing “eat and drink” and “live”, the author distinguishes bad men and good men

Synecdoche: ”I want a new set of wheels.”

●Wheels are just part of a car but in this sentence, “wheels” is being used to represent the whole car

Metonymy: “The President wants to put boots on the ground to stop this conflict.”

●“Boots on the ground” represents soldiers.

Zeugma: “John lost his coat and his temper”

●Here, “lost” refers to John’s coat and his temper

These rhetorical devices are new so here are some examples.

Multiple Choice

"Jerome made an __________ to his principal to not cancel homecoming."

• appeal

• logic

• rhetorical question

• synecdoche

Multiple Choice

"Amanda said that the prosecutor's argument was not based on ____________."

• semantics

• credible

• reason

• antithesis

Hotspot

Which part of the triangle represents an emotional appeal? Click the correct response.

Multiple Choice

Verbal Irony and Sarcasm are the exact same.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

"We came, we saw, we conquered." This is an example of...

• Metonymy

• Synecdoche

• Asyndeton

• Zeugma

Match

Match the following

• Ethos

• Pathos

• Logos

Credibility appeal

Emotional appeal

Logical appeal

• Credibility appeal

• Emotional appeal

• Logical appeal

Multiple Choice

"Carla lost her car keys and her mind last night." This is an example of...

• Zeugma

• Metonymy

• Rhetorical Question

• Chiasmus

Hotspot

Which of these represents a credibility appeal? Click the correct answer.

Multiple Choice

"Why does it have to rain on today of all days?!" asked the bride. This is a...

• emotional appeal

• rhetorical question

• sarcasm

• synecdoche

Hotspot

Which of these represents a reasonable response? Click the correct answer.

Multiple Choice

Verbal irony is when you say...

• exactly what you mean

• the opposite of what you mean

• statements that aren't taken literally

• lyrics in a rhythm