The rhetorical situation, argumentation and arrangement
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The document outlines a workshop focused on preparing participants for effective public speaking, emphasizing the importance of understanding the rhetorical situation, audience dynamics, and the purpose of speeches. It discusses key concepts such as ethos, argumentation, and speech organization while providing practical advice on constructing and delivering persuasive speeches. Additionally, it highlights the relationship between speaker, audience, and context, encouraging participants to analyze these elements for successful communication.
The rhetorical situation, argumentation and arrangement
- 1. Workshop 1 EOK October 2010 Ida Borch
- 2. Workshop? • I work • You shop (or listen) • No supervision • The aim: To prepare you for the synopsis, speech contest and for the exam
- 3. Today’s literature • Gabrielsen & Christiansen: The power of speech – Analysis: The rhetorical situation – Argument: Practical argumentation – Arrangement: Organisation • In a few weeks: Ethos & Elocutio
- 4. Today’s literature Did you notice the alliteration and the list of three? • Gabrielsen & Christiansen: Oral Always a winner in oral communication – good for both Communication speaker’s and audience’s – Analysis: The rhetorical situation memory – Argument: Practical argumentation – Arrangement: Organisation • In a few weeks: Ethos & Elocutio
- 5. Knowledge of The Rhetorical Situation • Takes you from mere use of intuition to strategic competence • Makes you a more confident (persuasive) speaker
- 6. When is a situation rhetorical? • A situation is rhetorical once responding to it makes it possible to alter reality • A situation is not rhetorical when the audience has no choice • In the military and in totalitarian states rhetorical situations rarely occur. Whereas democracy has vast amounts
- 7. When you speak, you steal time • The time equation: You’re 100 students listening for 90 minutes = 150 man-hours spend on my lecture. That’s 4 weeks work in total. • So you better give something worthwhile back in return when you speak
- 8. Dymamics between the speech and the situation • Speech and situation influence each other: The situation determines what can be said; the speech affects how the situation is understood • It’s yet another case of the egg and the hen
- 9. Speech/Context • There is a complex relationship between the speech and the context: • Ex: “Mission accomplished”-speech – Was the war won – or did Bush make the Americans (perceive themselves as) winners due to the speech? • You do not just adapt to – you shape the situation with your choice of words
- 11. Lloyd F Bitzer: The Rhetorical Situation • Exigence: An imperfection marked by urgency • Audience: Those that are actually able to be moved from one point to another (mediators of change) • Constraints: The physical and psychological opportunities and limitations in the situation • = Fitting response (did the speaker achieve what he wanted?) • http://web.missouri.edu/~ricejr/Fall08/bitzer.pdf
- 12. The situational factors in the context • The subject • The place • The time • The audience • The speaker
- 13. Danish version of Ciceros Pentagram
- 14. My understanding Speaker Constraints Topic Choice of words + style Audience
- 15. Gabrielsen & Christiansen Speaker Circumstances The rhetorical problem The purpose Audience
- 16. The Rhetorical Problem • A kind of Bitzerian exigence • A rhetorical problem is a problem that can be altered by the use of speech • Important: Find the spot on right focus – for yourself, the audience and the situation
- 17. Ex. Pro euthanasia • Dignify-focus: Potential undignified death when unable to end it by own hand • Law-focus: Law in Netherlands allow – Law in DK prohibits • Autonomy-focus: Is life (and death) a personal matter or a matter of the state? • Method-focus: Is it done in humane ways? • Etc • DECIDE FOR ONE – and follow it all the way through (we’ll get back to later why...)
- 18. The Purpose • What do you wish to achieve? – Reflection? – Understanding? – Consensus? – Commitment? – Change of attitude? – Behaviour? • Rhetorical persuasion is not necessarily about making people act. It could be that mere reflection is adequate.
- 19. The Audience Mediators of Everybody present change
- 20. The Audience • Address the entire audience, but be aware that probably only a part of it consist of real mediators of change – People who will ‘act’ in accordance to your specific purpose • Ex: I’m not mediator of change in an audience listening to a speech pro death penalty
- 21. Speaker • You must know your own ’ethos’ in the situation (we’ll get back on that one next time) • You must be consistent and respectful of the relation to the audience • You must make sure they know your motives for speaking (up).
- 22. Circumstances • Physical circumstances: – Are we at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park or at Den Sorte Diamant? – Mike or no mike? – Av or no av? – Rostrum or plain floor? – Indoor or outdoor? – Come rain or come shine?
- 23. Circumstances • Temporal circumstances: – Is it May 1st or any ordinary day? – Are you 1st or last speaker – or in between? – Did something occur that altered the situation (ex. Speaking on Sept 12th 2001 called for addressing the Twin Towers no matter which context ) – Will people be on time or drop in/out – etc • (We will pay close attention to your analysis of the circumstances in you examination speeches)
- 24. Recapitulation: What, why, who, where Speaker Circumstances The rhetorical problem Audience The purpose
- 25. A situation analysis • Steve Jobs is preparing his presentation of the iPhone G4 – on the same kind of stage as the app-video you saw in September. • 2 X 2: Go through the various parts of the situation, and decide what you would recommend him to do in order to deliver a fitting response
- 26. Steve Jobs presenting iPhone G4 What is his exigence; the reason for Speaker speaking? Circumstances The rhetorical problem Audience What does he The purpose want the audience to do?
- 27. Is this a fitting response? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoqh27E6OuU
- 28. The noble art of argumentation This doesn’t work ‘cause the technicians are useless
- 29. The noble art of argumentation This doesn’t work, cause the product generally sucks
- 30. The noble art of argumentation This doesn’t work, cause there are 570 wi-fi Base Stations operating in this room
- 31. Make the right choice • Identification: Find the claim and proofs that will support your position • Selection: Select the ones that will be persuasive • Substantiation: Make sure that you can substantiate your claim. Or else it’s just a mere utterance
- 32. Toulmin model of argumentation Proof Claim Warrant Qualifier Backing Reservation
- 33. Socrates is mortal Socrates is a human being All men are mortal
- 34. Socrates is wildly mortal! Socrates is a human being All men are mortal
- 35. Socrates is wildly mortal! Socrates is a human being All men are mortal Even though Plato immortalized him through his Reservation dialogues
- 36. Socrates is wildly mortal! Socrates is a human being All men are mortal Even though Plato immortalized him through his At the end of the dialogues day, it’s a Backing biological fact
- 37. Socrates is wildly mortal! Socrates is a human being All men are mortal Even though Plato immortalized him through his At the end of the dialogues day, it’s a biological fact
- 38. Toulmins argumentmodel • Claim • Proof Proof Claim • Warrant Warrant Qualifier • Qualifier • Reservation Backing Reservation • Backing
- 39. Prospect AIESEC members in the model It is good for You should your career join AIESEC One should always make career moves Perhaps It’s highly recommended by Unless you’re way the SDU board behind schedule with your studies
- 40. Prospect AIESEC members in the model We’re getting drunk You should every weekend join AIESEC Having fun is a human right Totally And social networking Unless you’re way benefits relations behind schedule with your studies
- 41. Important rule in argumentation •Logic is not always the most logical thing to use in practical argumentation
- 42. Topics – or how to find proof • Topics (sing: topos, plur: topoi, da: topik) is derived from Greek: Topos = place. • Topical thinking helps you pinpoint the suitable angles, views or perspectives
- 43. Topoi-list Thematic Topoi Oppositional Topoi Topoi of Evidence Money apect The individual vs. society Investigations Environment Change vs. tradition Experience Helath Quality vs. Quantity General assumptions Work Well-being Time
- 44. Environment: It’s good for the Money: global environment It’s for free that you can connect Change vs. tradition: only by using a bit of Many elderly people Well-being: electricity General can access it – it’s Laughing at assumption: easy though it’s new updates is Social activities are tech healthy always fun Quality vs. Quantity Health: Why Facebook is The concept of You don’t get at awesome ’friends’ is enlarged cold from it Work: Investigation: Good for 500 mio people can’t personal be wrong branding Time: Individual vs. society: Experience: From Know-how to No need for Working as single- travelling Know-who is consultant would supported by FB be tough without
- 45. Be selective • All the bubbles represent my views upon the matter – will they all help me get the message through? • Not! Select the right ones for the rhetorical situation, and make ONE overall claim supported by various sub-proofs.
- 46. Organizing the speech Disposition Stating the Argumentation facts Finale Intro 1 2 3 4 5
- 47. Christiansen & Gabrielsen • Intro • Proof 1 • Proof 2 – Example • Refutation • Conclusion • + metacommunication
- 48. Introduction • Aim: Catch the audience’s interest • Captatio benevolentia = captivate goodwill • Many different strategies – two basic types – Beat around the bush – Wham-bam • Establishes/confirms initial ethos (more on that next time)
- 49. Intro-tips • Rhetorical questions • Idioms (beware of potential clichés) • Quotations from sponsoring ethos's • Tell a joke (beware of shared humour) • Anecdote • Local connection to the audience/place • If a long speech, remember stating the disposition - partitio
- 50. Proof • Use practical argumentation: Claim, proof and potentially outspoken warrant. • Find the spot on right claims for the situation and exemplify with analogies, concrete details or the like • Kock et al: Retorik der flytter stemmer: ONE overall claim followed by a number of subordinate data is better than numerous claims.
- 51. Rebuttal • Reminding the audience that you do pay attention to the opposite side of the point – good for both mediators of change and for hostile listeners • Is counter-argumentation: You show audience that you are aware there is a different opinion BUT that this opinion is after all not worthwhile • Sow doubt! (don’t remind them of a better argument than yours)
- 52. Conclusion • Due to the premises of orality the audience cannot remember every word you’ve stated • Never underestimate the importance of – Summing up the most important issues (what was it now the woman said?) – Reminding the audience that we are getting close to the end (how else would they know?)
- 53. Tips • Let the fish bite its tale • Repeat the main points • Refer to the example • Future scenario if/if not • A rhetorical question • Be concise, precise and eloquent – cause this is what they remember clearly afterwards • (if spontaneous clapping, you’ve done the job right. If not...)
- 54. How to get about it
- 55. Let’s check your memory • Can you remember what I’ve told you during the last two lessons? • (Had this been a ‘real’ rhetorical situation, your memorizing what I said was my – not your – responsibility. I would be to blame if you didn’t get the crucial points)
- 56. Summing up • Prior to making a speech: – Analyze the rhetorical situation – Argument: FOCUS – and find the right proof to support your claims – Arrange: Give the speech the right shape • Next time: – Analyze your own ethos in the situation – Use the right words for a fitting response