DTC 355 Post One

Blog #1
Foss, Foss and Trapp describe Rhetoric by stating, “It is an art and a discipline that facilitates our understanding of the nature and function of symbols in our lives. How we percieve what we know, what we experience, and how we act are the result of our own symbol use and that of those around us; rhetoric is that term that captures all of these proccesses.For us,rhetoric is the human use of symbols to communicate."(1).

My understanding from the above, I believe that rhetoric is everything and anything captured in life and then used to communicate with an audience. The three authors mention the human use of symbols to communicate as their meaning for rhetoric. For example I picture valentine's day, if you get red roses from a significant other you know you are loved. As an american girl you associate red roses with love and passion.


rhet·o·ric   /ˈrɛtərɪk/ Show Spelled[ret-er-ik]
–noun
1. (in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display; bombast.
2. the art or science of all specialized literary uses of language in prose or verse, including the figures of speech.
3. the study of the effective use of language.
4. the ability to use language effectively.
5. the art of prose in general as opposed to verse.
6. the art of making persuasive speeches; oratory.
7. (in classical oratory) the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience.
8. (in older use) a work on rhetoric.

Work Cited
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rhetoric