Questions and Answers
What is the definition of characterizations?
The labels and descriptions rhetors attach to acts, agencies, agents, scenes, and purposes.
What is a condensation symbol?
A name, word, phrase or maxim which stirs vivid impressions involving the listener's most basic values and readies the listener for action.
What does connotation refer to?
The emotional or cultural meaning attached to a sign; it is what is signified.
What is the literal meaning of denotation?
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What is discursive symbolism?
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What does doublespeak refer to?
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What is dramatism?
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What is the purpose of a euphemism?
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What does gestalt refer to?
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What is an ideograph?
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What is inflated language?
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What is a metaphor?
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What is presentational symbolism?
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What does public vocabulary refer to?
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What does resignification mean?
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What is semiotics?
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What is a terministic screen?
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What is the theory of linguistic relativity?
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What are truncated passives?
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What is civic engagement?
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What does collective memory refer to?
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What is constitutive rhetoric?
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What does culture mean?
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What is ethos in rhetoric?
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What does hegemony refer to?
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What is identification in communication?
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What does ideology refer to?
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What is logos?
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What does pathos evoke?
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What is posthumanist theory of agency?
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What is power in the context of rhetoric?
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What does public memory encapsulate?
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What is a rhetor?
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What is rhetoric?
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What is rhetorical agency?
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What is social reality?
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What is a symbol?
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What is symbolic action?
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What are verbal symbols?
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What are visual symbols?
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What is body rhetoric?
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What is dominant reading?
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What is an enactment in rhetoric?
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What are iconic photographs?
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What are image events?
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What is a negotiated reading?
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What is an oppositional reading?
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What does presence refer to in communication?
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What is rhetoric of display?
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What is visual culture?
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What is semiotics?
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What is claim, data, warrant in argumentation?
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What is a myth in rhetoric?
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What is denotative meaning?
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What do photographs direct our attention to?
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What is the burden of proof?
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What is aesthetics in narrative?
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What is a visual metaphor?
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What is the burden of rejoinder?
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Study Notes
Rhetorical Concepts
- Characterizations: Labels and descriptions used by rhetors to define acts, agencies, agents, scenes, and purposes.
- Condensation Symbol: A term or phrase that evokes strong emotions tied to foundational values, prepping the audience for action.
Symbol and Language Usage
- Connotation: The emotional or cultural implications associated with a sign beyond its literal meaning.
- Denotation: The straightforward, objective meaning of a sign without added value.
- Discursive Symbolism: Language organized in a linear fashion that engages reasoning rather than intuition.
- Doublespeak: Language that obfuscates true meanings to confuse rather than clarify.
- Euphemism: Gentle wording intended to soften harsh realities.
Theories of Rhetoric
- Dramatism: An analytical framework viewing language as action and human relationships through symbolic actions.
- Ideograph: An abstract term in political discourse representing a collective commitment to vague yet influential goals.
- Power: Defined as the capacity to enact change or influence outcomes.
- Public Vocabulary: A collection of culturally established terms shaping people's shared understanding.
Agency and Identity
- Rhetorical Agency: The ability to engage in symbolic acts that hold significance within a community.
- Collective Memory: A group’s shared memory that constructs a common understanding beyond individual recollections.
- Posthumanist Theory of Agency: Challenges the notion of humans as primary agents of change, viewing them as part of a larger network.
Symbolic Interpretation
- Negotiated Reading: Acceptance of some dominant meanings while recognizing exceptions; allows for critical engagement with texts.
- Oppositional Reading: Correct decoding of meanings, but challenges them from an adversarial standpoint.
- Truncated Passives: Sentences structured to obscure the agent responsible for action.
Visual Rhetoric
- Iconic Photographs: Images recognized culturally, significant for their historical representation and emotional impact.
- Visual Culture: A pervasive culture characterized by the prominence of visual communication across diverse media.
- Presence: The immediate impact of visuals that engage an audience's consciousness.
Additional Key Concepts
- Semiotics: The study of signs and the meanings they convey in communication.
- Burden of Proof: An obligation to provide sufficient reasoning to support an argument in discussions.
- Narrative Fidelity: Evaluates whether a story's events resonate with an audience's understanding of reality.
- Vivacity: The vividness created by descriptive language that enhances the engagement of ideas.
Historical Roots
- Aristotle's Rhetorical Appeals: Introduced the concepts of ethos (character), pathos (emotion), and logos (reason), fundamental in persuasive rhetoric.
- Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Suggests that linguistic structure influences human perception and understanding of the world.
Noteworthy Phenomena
- Power Dynamics: Michel Foucault highlights how power can become internalized, shaping individuals' perceptions of free will.
- Metaphors in Rhetoric: Metaphorical language, such as "the ship of state," provides new perspectives on concepts and issues.
- Comic Frame: A lens for assessing social truths, distinguishing between viewing others as mistaken versus evil.
Rhetorical Processes
- Resignification: The act of rejecting and reconstructing the connotation of symbols to alter their meanings.
- Symbolic Action: Engaging expressive human actions and mobilizing symbols to effect change.
Engagement and Argumentation
- Civic Engagement: Collective actions taken by people to address and find solutions for social issues within their communities.
- Claim, Data, Warrant: The three essential components of the Toulmin model of argumentation, forming the backbone of logical discourse.
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Description
Prepare for your Comm 100 midterm with these flashcards covering key concepts from 'Rhetoric in Civic Life'. This quiz includes definitions and examples of important rhetorical terms. Test your understanding of characterizations, condensation symbols, and more.