8/27 post

            I have come across many different defnitions of rhetoric. From the way my high school English teacher put it into words, reading about it in my Digital Technology books, then to the Rhetorics Tradition textbook. After reading the general introduction I have a much better understanding of the word “rhetoric” than I did before. This word is very widespread on the topic of meanings. Then the book says that the meanings have changed over time on what exactly a rhetor means. I look at it as the act of persuading through speech, whether successful or not.

            First that is how the definition started out in ancient Greek times. Then Aristotle subjected rhetoric down into different parts. What you have to do in preparation, depending on the type of speech that will be given. There became rules for rhetoric’s from finding what the topic of argument is to how one will deliver the speech. The change in rhetorics over time is very interesting to me. Throughout different ages such as all the way from ancient Greece to medieval and the renaissance years rhetor changed. The impact of women learning rhetor even changed the usage of it in ways. As other topics developed like psychology for instance the book uses as an example, changes as the topic develops as well. That brings us to the modern rhetorics that are used in our world today.

Rhetorics now are not just the persuasion through language, but also the “study of communication and understanding” according to I. A. Richards. As language evolves and words are seen as more than just definitions of something, rhetorics are also being affected. Seeking for knowledge is what this world is about, in science politics, schools and learning about knowledge. This causes rhetorics to be involved. Every category wants to translate their knowledge to people through speech, just the way they produce, and exhibit the speech is what makes rhetorics a rhetoric, whether it is successful or not.