THEORIES OF RHETORIC

THEORY OF RHETORIC

The field of rhetoric has been a matter of considerable debate for millennia, derived from the Greek word for public speaking, rhetoric’s original concern dealt primarily with spoken word. Rhetorical theory is the body of thought about human symbol use, and it is contrasted with action and a popular usage.

This contemporary understanding of rhetoric is at odds with a long history of rhetorical theory dating back in the west to ancient Greece and Rome, that provides a long-standing foundation on which the discipline of communication is built.

At first scholars thought they could do without rhetoric but later began to realized that elements of rhetoric and not “systematic grammatical study” were necessary to improve writing and composition abilities.

While rhetoric’s traditionally concerned matters related to verbal orations or speeches, it is related also to expressions of ideas, often in an attempt to influence one’s audience.

Aristotle wrote a philosophical work that still has major scholarly impact, Rhetoric invention is concerned with the content or idea being expressed, and related to the field of rhetoric invention is concerned with the content or idea being expressed, and relates to rhetorician’s understanding of his goals.

SOPHIST THEORY

Sophists were a category of teachers who specialize in using the techniques of philosophy and rhetoric for purse of teaching excellence,, or virtue predominantly to young statement and nobility. Socrates condemned the practice of changing money for provision of wisdom only to those who could pay.

Sophists were portrayed as “deceptive” hence the modern meaning of the word or term which was derived from a Greek words “Sophia, and Sophos” meaning “wisdom or wise”.

In the second half of the 5th century Bc, particularly at Athens, Sophists came to denote a class mostly occupied by intellectuals who target different subjects speculate about the nature of language and culture and employed the use of rhetoric’s to achieve aims which was to generally persuade or convince others; they however had one thing in common: whatever use they did claim know or not, they had a great understanding of how to use words to impress or persuade an audience.

The historical and philological difficulties confronting an interpretation of sophists are of significant. Only a handful of sophists is drawn from second hand testimony, fragments and the generally hostile depiction of them in Plato’s dialogues. 

The first sophists thought of sophism as a good employment for those who could debate well, and they recovered the fame and fortune they were seeking through it.

Also, it should be noted that a few sophists claimed they had answers to ace questions and most of them are recognized primarily through the writing of their opponents (specifically Plato and Aristotle), which makes it difficult to assemble facts of their preachers and benefits. Many sophist targets their skills for a price and due to its importance, those fees were high.

However, their attitudes, coupled with their achieved fame and fortune eventually led to resentment against the sophist practitioners and the ideas and writings associated with sophism. This theory sat well with some anthems while others like scrates and his student Plato were antagonistic towards it.

KNOWLEDGE IS ELOQUENT THEORY

Eloquence is fluvial, forable, elegant or persuasive speaking. It is primarily the power of expressing strong emotions in striking and appropriate language, thereby producing conviction or persuasion. It is also used for writing in a fluent style.

This theory has the ability to understand and command the language in such a way that one employs a graceful style coupled with the power of persuasion or just being good in the interpretation of communication.

Patriarch focused attention on language and communication. After the masking of language, the goal was to reach “a high level of eloquence” to be able to present gracefully, combine thoughts and reason in a powerful way so as to persuade others top a point of view. He encouraged student to immolate the ancient writers, from a language perspective, combining clear and correct speech with moral thoughts.

Eloquence is both a national talent and acquired or improved by knowledge of language, study of a specific subject to be addressed philosophy, rationale and ability to form persuasive set of tenets within a presentation. Eloquence does not consist in saying great things in a sub line style but in a simple style.

ABLE MAN THEORY

The able man theory is a 19^th Century idea according to which history can be largely explained by the impact of “able man” or heroes, highly influential individuals who due to their personal charisma, intelligence, wisdom or political skill utilized their power in a way that a decisive historical impact.

Herbert Spencer said that these men are products of their society and that their actions would be impossible without the social conditions built before their lifetimes. The able man theory is usually contrasted with a theory that talks about event occurring in the fullness of time, or when an overwhelming wave of similar events causes certain developments to occur. And approach to history was most fashionable with professional historians in the 19^thcentury, a popular work of the school.