Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion

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Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion 修辭：說服的藝術 撰文及考題設計 British Council 英協教育中心 Brian Welter 中譯 陳怡君 （中央社編譯） 圖 美聯社

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Have you ever bought something because of how

與政治人物；這無可厚非，我們必須和推銷員或立 法委員有所共鳴，才會願意掏出錢包或投下選票。

someone talked about a product or service, and then later couldn’t believe that you had got hooked?

In ancient Rome, rhetoric was an important

Have you ever voted for a politician after hearing

school subject. Later, along with grammar and logic,

powerful words and ideas, and then realised later

rhetoric formed the basis of European education

that you had been fooled?

for centuries. These three subjects were considered

您曾經在有人說話慫恿下購買了某項產品或服

to be the first steps of learning, and were therefore

務，之後不敢相信自己居然上鉤的經驗嗎？您曾經

taken by children who would go on to study

在聆聽充滿張力的口號或政見後，對政治人物投

medicine, law, or music.

下神聖的一票，之後才明瞭自己被愚弄了嗎？

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在古羅馬時期，修辭學 是學校重要的一門科 目。之後幾世紀以來，修辭學和文法學、邏輯學一

In all likelihood, you were affected by the

併構成歐洲教育的基礎。這三門科目被視為學習

speaker’s rhetoric. Rhetoric is the skillful use

的第一步，也因此成為即將攻讀醫學、法學或音

of language. It is essential to both speaking and

樂的學童們所要修習的科目。

writing. While we all use this, sales representatives

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and politicians do so most famously. This is not

Speakers and writers can connect with individuals

surprising. In order to give our money or our vote,

through a variety of rhetorical means, including

we have to feel a connection to a salesperson or

clever reasoning, emotional appeal, and references

lawmaker.

to authoritative facts or stories.

很有可能，您是被講者的修辭所影響。修辭學

講者與作者可以運用修辭學諸多技巧和其他個

是語言的運用技巧，對於演說與寫作都是必要的。

體產生共鳴，例如精彩的推理、訴諸情感，以及引

我們都會使用它，但最為人所知的例子是推銷員

用權威性的事實或故事等。

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圖為前美國總統歐巴馬發表演說，他擅長運 用修辭學技巧和聽眾產生共鳴。

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常理推論事物。父母為了對兒女強調讀書的重要

First, someone may use logos, the Greek word for

性，可能會提及「大學畢業的人能比他人賺更多的

“reason,” to convince you that an idea makes sense.

錢」的事實。當某人清晰闡明合理該做的事，他就

We all weigh the advantages and disadvantages of

是在運用邏輯。

a course of action or think about a common sense

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approach to things. In stressing the importance of

Second, a good article or speech almost always

studying to their children, parents may refer to the

contains pathos, which is the attempt to connect

fact that people with a university education tend

with people’s emotions. Often a speaker’s cute or

to earn more money than others. When someone

heart-warming story will illustrate a significant

clearly explains the sensible thing to do, he's using

point. If a speech is on never giving up, the speaker

logos.

may refer to Thomas Edison. The great inventor

首先，有些人可能會使用logos，這是希臘文的 「邏輯」之意，來說服你這個論點是合理的。我們 都會對於行為的後果權衡利弊得失，也都會運用

repeatedly failed before finally getting the light bulb right. That gives discouraged people hope. 第 二，一 篇 好 的 文 章 或 演 說 都 會 帶 有 情 感

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（pathos），意即嘗試與聽眾情緒產生連結。通常 講者的一個可愛溫馨小故事，會闡述一個重點。若

We more easily accept an argument when it

演講的主題是「永不放棄」，講者可能會引用愛迪

comes from a public authority. We tend to trust

生的故事，這位偉大的發明家在經歷無數次失敗

accountants on taxes and gardeners on gardening.

後終於發明燈泡。這能帶給飽受挫折的人們一線

Fitness magazines will often get professional

希望。

trainers to write articles on how to stay healthy. The 7

When a whole nation is facing difficult times,

be taken.

a country’s president will often bring up the past.

我們會比較能接受來自具有公信力的權威論

Listeners will be reminded of a previous generation

點。我們傾向去相信會計師的稅務管理或是園丁

which overcame even worse circumstances due

的園藝。健身雜誌會邀請專業教練撰寫關於保健

to hard work and the right attitude. American

的文章，如此讀者比較能被雜誌的論點給說服。

presidents often mention the Great Depression of

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the 1930s, and how the people came together. Pathos

Sometimes people dislike rhetoric. They feel that

often acknowledges listeners’ fears and frustrations,

a speaker is manipulating them by telling unrealisti-

yet also their hopes.

cally heartwarming or scary stories. In this case, the

當一個國家陷入整體的困境時，總統通常會提

word “rhetoric” is used negatively. Politicians will

及過去。聽眾將憶起老一輩人們如何以堅忍與正

often accuse the other side of “using rhetoric.” This

面的態度去克服過去更艱辛的挑戰。美國總統通

means that the language may be overly emotional

常提及1930年代的經濟大蕭條，以及人們如何攜

and not fully truthful. It’s an indirect way to call

手共度難關。感性的層面通常認同聽者的恐懼與

someone a liar. Due to this political use of language,

挫折，但同時也給予希望。

rhetoric has a poor reputation among many.

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有時人們亦會厭惡修辭學。他們認為講者透過

Ethos, reference to author it y, is the thi rd

講述不切實際的溫馨小品或恐怖情節來操弄他

important pillar of rhetoric. A good speaker or

們。若是這種情形，「修辭」一詞便偏向負面了。政

writer tries to present him- or herself as an expert

治人物通常會指控對手陣營「利用修辭話術」。這

in order to build trust with the audience. A doctor

表示所使用的語言也許過於情緒化，而並非完全

will start a speech on heart health by saying, “As

屬實，這是間接指控某人為騙子。因為政治上的

someone with over twenty years’ experience as a

語言操弄，修辭學在很多人心中是惡名昭彰的。

heart doctor, …”

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reader is convinced that the magazine’s advice can

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Ethos是指可信度，是第三個構成修辭學的要

Nonetheless, rhetoric is unavoidable. We use it

素，一位傑出的講者或作者會嘗試將自己呈現出

regularly because we want to convince people to do

如專家的風範來取信於聽眾。一位醫師開始心臟

or believe certain things. If you want your friend

病衛教時，會以「身為擁有超過20年經驗的心臟科

to go to your favourite hamburger place with you,

醫師」做為開場白。

you’ll remind her of the great time you had last time

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(pathos), reason that it’s a good price (logos), and

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point out both that your mother also likes it (ethos)

The great thing about understanding rhetoric is

and that it is the most popular restaurant in the city

that it allows us to know when people are trying to

(ethos). It’s a winning argument, one we have all

manipulate us. Their rhetoric won’t be as powerful

used.

as before. So study and understand rhetoric in order

儘管如此，修辭依舊是無法避免的。我們常規

to avoid becoming its next victim! In fact, you may

地使用它，因為我們想要使人信服或去進行某些

just benefit from it yourself when trying to change

事物。如果你想要朋友和你一起去你喜愛的漢堡

someone’s mind.

店，你會提醒他你曾經擁有的美好時光（感性），

理解修辭學最棒的事情在於它讓我們理解何時

解釋它的優惠價格（邏輯），並同時指出您母親

別人想要操弄我們。他們的修辭將不像以前具有

也喜愛它（可信度）以及它是城內最受歡迎的餐廳

威力。所以，開始研究和理解修辭學來避免成為它

（可信度）。這是個充滿優勢的論點，我們都曾經

的受害者！事實上，你也許將透過嘗試改變他人心

使用過。

意來讓自己從中獲益。

雅思考試粉絲團： www.facebook.com/ielts.testcentre

雅思考試模擬試題 IELTS questions

Find a word in the reading similar in meaning to the following. (paragraph # in brackets) item (1); probability (2); foundation (3); pros and cons (5); quitting (6); mention (7); because of(7); physician (8); lawmakers (10) True, False, or Not given: 1. Rhetoric is useful when we want to change other people’s minds.

2. Rhetoric was first taught in ancient Rome.

3. In European history, logic and grammar were taught prior to rhetoric.

4. The story of a well-known inventor can be used as pathos.

5. Ethos appeals to our emotional side.

1-True; 2-Not given; 3-False; 4-True; 5-False Answers: item-product (1) probability-likelihood (2) foundation-basis (3) pros and cons-advantages and disadvantages (5) quitting-giving up (6) mention-bring up (7) because of-due to (7) physicians-doctor (8) lawmakers-politicians (10)

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