ROS - The Rhetoric of Speech Module Overview and Key Terms

The Rhetoric of Speech

Introduction

Fortunately, writing and performing a speech is not required for the AP Language and Composition exam. Nonetheless, speaking is how we first learn language, and the rhetoric of speech directly influences the way we write. This unit will take us through a brief introduction to the origin of language and a catalyst for critical thinking on how crucial language is to simply being human. Then we will progress through the examination of some of the most celebrated technicians of language: William Shakespeare, Sophocles, and Aristotle. Shakespeare provides us with many of the more recognizable speeches in the English language. These are excellent tools to study some basic terms of rhetoric. Then, a close inspection of Julius Caesar will lead us into the politics of the classical world. Delving further into the past, we will read Sophocles' Antigone. This is the third play in the Oedipus Trilogy, which Aristotle considered the epitome of tragic literature. This classic drama sets the tone for the final segment: civil disobedience. Besides reading and listening to several famous speeches, you will formulate your own speech espousing your views on the theme. Enjoy your journey from the shrouded birth of humanity to the tragedies of the ancient world to the salient notions of our contemporary experience of the rule of law. Think critically and creatively as you travel.

The word cloud incorporates many key words and phrases for the AP English Language course.

Essential Questions

  1. What is the strength behind powerful speeches?
  2. What does the sound of words matter?
  3. How does spoken language differ from written language?

Key Terms

Here are some terms that deal specifically with the academic study of language: 

  1. Dialect: A form of speech peculiar to a district, class, or person.
  2. Idiom: A sequence of words that forms a whole unit of meaning.
  3. Intonation: The use of pitch in speech to create contrast and variation.
  4. Linguistics: The study of human language.
  5. Philology: The study of a language together with its literature and the historical and cultural contexts.
  6. Phonetics: The study of the production, transmission, and reception of speech sounds.
  7. Phonology: A study of the sounds in any language.
  8. Semantics: The study of linguistic meaning.

The following terms will be studied closely later in the unit. They almost all derive from Greek and concern the genre of tragedy:

  1. Anagnorisis: A moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical discovery or recognizes their fault.
  2. Catharsis: A sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of great pity, sorrow, laughter, or any extreme change in emotion that results in renewal, restoration, and revitalization.
  3. Deus ex machina: Latin for "God in the machine," a failure of the plot when an unexplained development solves a problem.
  4. Hamartia: A character flaw that leads to tragic consequences.
  5. Hubris: Exaggerated pride or self-confidence, often resulting in retribution or downfall.
  6. Mimesis: Resembling real life.
  7. Peripeteia: A reversal of circumstances; turning point.

 

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