4. Rhetoric 修辞学 re-tə-rik(noun) : “ The skill of using language in speech or writing in a special way that influences or persuades people”
5.
6. Five Assumptions About Rhetoric 1. Rhetoric is both a field of humane study and a pragmatic art ; that is, we can read about it as well as practice it. 2. The practice of rhetoric is culturally determined . 3. When we practice rhetoric, we use language to ‘ induce cooperation ’ in an audience.
7. Five Assumptions About Rhetoric 4. The purpose of rhetoric, inducing cooperation, involves more that mere persuasion , narrowly defined. Discourse ( 演说 ) that affects an audience, that informs, moves, delights, and teaches, has a rhetorical aim. 5. Rhetoric implies choices , for both the writer and the audience.
9. Audience is usually the most difficult to make choices about when writing in a foreign language. We must read in order to understand how to make these choices. The Writing Triangle Subject: What you are writing about; your writing assignment Purpose: Why you are writing Audience: Who your reader is
10. Writing is the skill of conscientiously making choices based on t he w riting t riangle . The Writing Triangle
11. The Writing Triangle Example Subject: the door Purpose: to persuade someone to shut the door Audience: a friend Sentence: “Hey, man. Shut the door, will ya?”
12. The Writing Triangle Example Subject: the door Purpose: to persuade someone to shut the door Audience: a student Sentence: “Please shut the door.”
13. The Writing Triangle Example Subject: the door Purpose: to persuade someone to shut the door Audience: my son Sentence: “How many times do I have to tell you? Shut the door!”
14. This semester, we will be learning how to identify the elements in the writing triangle and learning how these elements affect the choices we make when we are writing. The Writing Triangle
15. Next Week Making Choices: The Dimensions of Language
16. The Writing Assignment Write one or two paragraphs in which you describe and/or explain to one of your classmates your like or dislike for writing in English. Length : 100 - 200 words Due at the beginning of next week’s class.
17. The Reading Assignment Preview Chapter 2, pgs 17-28 for next week’s class