1. Mr. Fleckenstein AP English 11 created 2008
Intro to Rhetoric
Mr. Fleckenstein
AP English 11
created 2008

2. Earliest History of Language
“Cave Paintings” 25,000-30,000 years ago
Early language Website (.pdf)

3. History of Language Notes…
You Tube Video

4. Language Development Linguistics = study of how language works
Lexicon = vocabulary word bank of a person
Syntax = the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language.
Noam Chomsky = famous linguist

5. Language + Grammar Receptive language vs. Expressive Language
Receptive……..able to understand language
Expressive……able to speak or communicate
Prescriptive Grammar vs. Descriptive Grammar
Prescriptive……Grammar School (Hooked on Phonics)
Descriptive…….Rules a speaker has to know about
word order (syntax)
--English speakers know 500,000 descriptive rules!!!

6. Universal Language Development: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15960054/
Priscilla Dunstan’s universal baby language
Neh
I'm hungry
Owh
I'm sleepy
Heh
I'm experiencing discomfort
Eairh
I have lower gas Eh
I have to burp

7. Baby Language Development
“Babble” Stage:
babies pick one sound and repeat it (225 muscles in mouth + throat)
One-Word Stage:
Associate one sound and repeat it (bye, bye)
Confuse one-word with two-words (‘nobite’)
Two-Word Stage
Kids one or two words symbolize sentence (“help please”)
“deetah” –Grace’s term for everything
Grammar is inborn (sentence structure S-V, plurals, past tense, pronouns, etc.)

8. Journal Prompt Answer the following questions on the “Intro to Rhetoric Journal” worksheet.
Chomsky would argue, it is impossible to think without language.
Do you agree?
Is it possible to think without language?
If so, how? Example?

9. What is Rhetoric?
Greek Philosopher: Aristotle
According to Aristotle, rhetoric is “the art of observing in any given case the ‘available means of persuasion.’”
Various ‘means’ may exist
Verbal, nonverbal, actions, etc.
Giving a name to something you already know

10. Rhetorical Triangle
Logos
Pathos
Ethos

11. Speaker/ Communicator (Ethos)
The “rhetor” (speaker)
Each and every speaker brings:
Own opinions and biases and experiences
Limitations of knowledge and language
Distinct voice or persona
Quintilian (Roman rhetorician) speaker should be “good man speaking well”
Emphasis on good character

12. Ethical Appeals (ethos)
sense you (author) gives as being competent/fair/authority
trustworthiness
credibility
reliability
expert testimony
reliable sources
fairness

13. Audience/ Reader
Speculating about the reader’s expectations, knowledge, and disposition with regard to the subject writers explore
Writers ‘invent’ or make-up audience when one is not presented
Self can be an audience

14. Emotional Appeals (pathos)
appeal to beliefs and feelings higher emotions
belief in fairness
love
pity
lower emotions
greed
lust
revenge
Aavarice

15. Text/ Message (Logos)
Evaluate what the speaker knows, examines perspectives, and determines evidence or proofs to support claims
The “text” does not speak independently of the speaker and audience
Make clear, reasonable premises + proofs

16. Rational Appeals (logos)
appeal to logical reasoning ability of readers
facts
case studies
statistics
experiments
logical reasoning
analogies
anecdotes
authority voices

17. Rhetorical Triangle Omissions:
Context
Purpose

18. Rhetorical Triangle Omissions: Bruce Springstein’s “Born in the USA”
Bruce meant the song to be an
antiwar song, not a patriotic anthem
Context
Purpose
Many of the lines were taken out of context.
Just play the refrain (“Born in the USA”) differs
from the entire lyrics.
Song relates to Vietnam, not the 1980s.

19. PBS Persuaders
Examines the role advertising plays in the media and society
Key Questions + Video:
Click “Watch Online”
Watch video #5 “Giving Us What We Want”
Pay particular attention to Frank Luntz and his linguistic theories and relate to the rhetorical triangle

20. Presidential Video Ads:
Lyndon Johnson “Daisy” Ad (1964)
View the following presidential ad and label the rhetorical triangle using the “Rhetoric Journal” assignment.