can anyone explain to me what rhetoric actually means?

Question

"the art of speaking or writing effectively" is pretty much all i get out of the dozens of searches ive done and that really doesnt explain it well enough for me. I have to write a summary of its meaning

Answer 1

"The art of" refers to the crafting, the study, the mastering of the skills of speaking and writing, which include organizing ideas effectively, engaging one's audience, writing or speaking in a "voice" suited to the audience and the purpose of the writing, focusing on a main idea, clearly presenting support for that idea, etc.

Would it be clearer to say that rhetoric is the mastering of the skills of speaking and writing?

Answer 2

Rhetoric is a way of saying or writing a statement to have the greatest psychological impact. It is used to influence instead of inform and does not need to be inaccurate or accurate. Example:

"The warmongers in the Bush administration have misinformed the public as to the truth in the relation between the 'war on terror' and the war in Iraq."

"The Iraq war is not related to the war on terror."

Both statements say the same thing whether they are true or not; however, the first one has a greater emotional or psychological impact. Does that help?

Answer 3

rather than effectively...I would use the word "pursuasively." It is possible to convey truth effectively without resorting to rhetoric. And one could use rhetoric to pursuade a crowd to a particular course of action that might be ill advised. Like anything, it is a tool, and can be used either for the benefit of mankind or its detriment. Really effective Rhetoricians are generally selling something, however.

Answer 4

a rhetoric question is one you don't expect an answer to or don't want the answer to such as 'Why am I such an idiot at times?'

Answer 5

I think it's like fake and insincere, though I don't think that really helps.