Rhetoric

Rhetoric

The art of speaking or writing persuasively or effectively. Any affective use of speach.

Rhetoric was prominently used in ancient education. Someone using Rhetoric would work to organize figures of speech, arrangement, and the delivery of what was being said. The [[1]]Romantic movement put an end to the importance placed on rhetoric, by pointing out that it was "shallow", and void of real meaning. When used in Greek, rhEtorikE, literally meant the art of oratory. Oratory means "the art of speaking in public eloquently or effectively" ("Oratory") Someone who practiced, studied, or created rhetoric was known as a rhetorician.

Bibliography

Baldick, Chris. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.

"Oratory." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2004. http://www.merriam-webster.com (2 Jan. 2004).

"Rhetoric." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2004. http://www.merriam-webster.com (2 Jan. 2004).