6. 5 Canons of Classical Rhetoric


Homework revision


1. 1. Choose three speeches from the Mind map "The Basic Types Of Speeches" you like most. In written form, propose one theme (choose from English Speech Topics for Students) and give the gist for each.

Class Work





The Five Canons or Offices of Classical Rhetoric (розділи риторики)

  • inventio (or heuristics, invention) - інвенція

  • dispositio (or taxis, arrangement) - диспозиція

  • elocutio (or lexis, style) - елокуція

  • memoria (or mneme, memory) - меморія

  • actio (or hypocrisis, delivery) - акція


Invention (Latin, inventio; Greek, heuresis)

In classical rhetoric, the first of the five canons of rhetoric: the discovery of the resources for persuasion inherent in any given rhetorical problem. Invention was known as heuresis in Greek, inventio in Latin.

In contemporary rhetoric, invention generally refers to a broad variety of research methods and discovery strategies.


Common discovery strategies include 

  • freewriting,

  • listing, 

  • probing,

  • brainstorming, 

  • clustering, and 

  • outlining.


Other methods of discovery include

  •  research, 

  • the journalists' questions, 

  • the interview, and 

  • the pentad.


Arrangement (Latin, dispositio; Greek, taxis)

Arrangement (dispositio or taxis) concerns how one orders speech or writing. In ancient rhetorics, arrangement referred solely to the order to be observed in an oration, but the term has broadened to include all considerations of the ordering of discourse, especially on a large scale.


Arrangement of a Classical Oration


Style (Latin, elocutio; Greek, lexis)

Style concerns the artful expression of ideas. If invention addresses what is to be said; style addresses how this will be said. From a rhetorical perspective style is not incidental, superficial, or supplementary: style names how ideas are embodied in language and customized to communicative contexts.



Memory (Latin, memoria; Greek, mneme)
Memory includes the methods and devices (including figures of speech) used to aid and improve the memory. Roman rhetoricians made a distinction between natural memory (an innate ability) and artificial memory (particular techniques that enhanced natural abilities).

Delivery (Latin, pronuntiato and actio; Greek, hypocrisis)

Delivery refers to the management of voice and gestures in oral discourse. Delivery, Cicero said in De Oratore, "has the sole and supreme power . jin oratory; without it, a speaker of the highest mental capacity can be held in no esteem; while one of moderate abilities, with this qualification, may surpass even those of the highest talent."


Homework

1. Divide into groups of 3-4 students and create a draft of a motivational speech for applicants to our university