1. Debate Terminology Words every debater needs to know!

2. AFFIRMATIVE RELATIVES:  Affirm, affable, affably, affirmance WORD PARTS:  Affirm  ative DEFINITION:  SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF A MOTION OR SUBJECT OF DEBATE EXAMPLES:  “The AFFIRMATIVE gives the first speech in a debate.”  “I prefer going AFFIRMATIVE on the death penalty topic.” Some debate formats call this “PRO.”

3. NEGATIVE RELATIVES:  Negate, negation, negatively WORD PARTS:  Negat-ive DEFINITION:  To reject; to speak against the resolution or motion EXAMPLES:  “The NEGATIVE team won today’s debate.”  “I gave a NEGATIVE answer to his question.” Some debate formats call this “CON.”

4. RESOLUTION RELATIVES:  Resolve, resolved, resolute WORD PARTS:  resol-ution DEFINITION:  The formal topic for debate. EXAMPLES:  “What is the RESOLUTION for today’s debate?”  “The United Nations passed a RESOLUTION recognizing the new government of Liberia.”

5. CONTENTION RELATIVES:  Contend DEFINITION:  A main argument or claim in a debate case. EXAMPLES:  “My last contention in my case is my strongest argument.”  “How many contentions should a Public Forum case include?

6. CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIVES:  Construct, construction, constructor, constructiveness WORD PARTS:  Con-struct-ive DEFINITION:  Opening speeches of a debate; when new arguments are built. EXAMPLES:  “I am busy preparing my CONSTRUCTIVE arguments.”  “Who will be delivering the negative CONSTRUCTIVE speech?”

7. REBUTTAL RELATIVES:  Rebut, rebutting, rebuttable, rebutted WORD PARTS:  Re-but-tal DEFINITION:  Refutation of an argument; speeches where opponent’s arguments are attacked EXAMPLES:  “I have a good REBUTTAL for that argument!”  “Dustin will delivery the negative REBUTTAL speech.”

8. FLOWSHEET SYNONYMS:  Notes, flow, template WORD PARTS:  -flow-sheet DEFINITION:  Notes taken during a debate that track the arguments, and the attacks made against the arguments. EXAMPLES:  “Can I see your FLOWSHEET of this debate?”  “I think we lost because we didn’t follow the FLOW during our rebuttals.” (Also just called a “flow.”

9. CROSS EXAMINATION SYNONYMS:  Crossfire, questioning period, C-X WORD PARTS:  cross-exam-ination DEFINITION:  Examination of a witness; period of direct questioning during a debate. EXAMPLES:  “CROSS-EX is my favorite part of the debate.”  “A good debater uses CROSS-EX questions to challenge the opponent’s arguments.”

10. EVIDENCE RELATIVES:  Evident, evidently, eviential SYNONYMS  Proof, testimony, data DEFINITION:  Statements of fact or opinion offered as support of an argument or claim. EXAMPLES:  “I need to find some EVIDENCE for my case.”  “Okay, you say this is true, but where is your EVIDENCE?”

11. CLASH SYNONYMS:  collide, strike, conflict DEFINITION:  The direct opposition between the affirmative and negative cases.  Clash is created by narrowing the debate down to the essential issues. EXAMPLES:  “I’m not seeing the CLASH in this debate.”  “Judge, here is where my argument CLASHES with my opponent’s.”