Rhetorical Devices

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Rhetorical Devices

• Daily Work 9

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Rhetorical Devices

• Rhetorical devices are ways that we change our
  speech or writing to make it more effective or
  powerful.
• What can make a speech powerful? Write this in
  your notes SILENTLY.

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Repetition

• Repetition is one of the most common rhetorical
  devices.
• This is very common in political speeches.
• Call-and-response is also another form.

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Hyperbole

• Exaggeration (not outright lying) to make a
  point.
• Think of an example.

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Anecdote

• A speaker might tell a personal story to help
  connect with his or her audience.
• How might this affect a listener?

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Parallel Structure and Inversion

• No pain, no gain.
• The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
• In peace, sons bury their fathers / In war,
  fathers bury their sons. (Herodotus)
• When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

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Fallacies

• These are persuasive strategies that may (or
  will) backfire.
• Bandwagon Everyone else is doing it
• Pandering Cheaply playing for emotions
• Folksiness Using slang in a way that appears
  fake (You betcha)