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| o Our care must be not that our audience will be able to understand us, but that it would be impossible for them to misunderstand us |
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o using stock phrases can sometimes be not only a symptom but also a cause of spiritual paralysis. It signals a dulling of vision.
o Stock phrases tend to appear at the critical junctures of our lives…they allow us to acknowledge the experience of life’s open moments swithout having to experience the raw pain or joy of it ourselves
o Close attention to Christian language can open the mind, reawaken wonder and strengthen faith |
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Definition
o Purity of diction according to the consensus of the educated
o Standards shift according to time period
• Hellenisnos (Greek) vs. latinias (Latin)
• To be correct is to be like me.
o Pinker: we need to not overstate our sense of being correct
• People who are really skilled will know how to speak to audiences well, but grammar does make it easier |
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Term
| errors of electio verborum (barbarisms) |
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Definition
1) malaprop
A word that sounds correct but has the wrong meaning for the context
• eg. slight altercation (alterations)
• eg. church is pestered (pastured) by Dr. Z
be careful! This hurts your ethos
Euphemisms |
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Term
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Definition
substitute for a blunt expression; usually used to cover up a disagreeable truth
• eg. pregnant: a bun in the oven
are there any euphemisms worth retaining?
Which euphemisms protect modesty?
Modesty: we’re avoiding saying something inexcusable
Modesty may parallel with confidentiality |
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| errors of compositio verborum (Solecisms) |
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Definition
• Errors of grammar, word choice
• It hurts your ethos when competence is more important |
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Definition
o The understanding that occurs b/c of commonality between words and experiences of two or more people
o The audience determines clarity
o Clarity is the most important virtue
o Aristotle: language that isn’t clear fails to perform its function
Quintilian: We can make it a priority that the audience understands us |
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Definition
• why do you speak so plainly?
• I’m going to use the words that are most common to people. There are two holes in a wall,one the cat and mouse can get through and one just the mouse can get through |
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why? Rhetorical participation
inviting the audience in
• the rhetorical perspective is invitational
introduce a mystery
some ideas get lost when they become too clear
•we can’t resolve everything clearly all the time |
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Definition
He who has ears to hear let him hear
The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you
I’ve spoken clearly and directly to you, but you hardened your heart
Blessing and a curse
Blessing b/c the door is open through parables
Curse b/c people had a hard time listening when he used parables people could not understand as well |
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| Appropriateness (Longinus) |
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Definition
standard of use and grammar accepted by the consensus of the educated
Longinus: persuades the hearer and makes him its slave; uses simple diction and strong images |
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Definition
• Dianoia=Greek for “personal style”
Identify your personal style and be true to the character of yourself
Don’t’ try to talk above or below yourself
• Stay within your limits
Don’t be boastful or deprecating |
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Definition
• Use appropriate vocabulary
It’s not going down to their level, but it is going alongside of them
• Accept the audience where they are
If your audience doesn’t understand, what you say doesn’t matter
• appropriateness depends on the relationship and the context and your goals
• discernment |
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Definition
• We cannot talk about subjects in exactly the same way
• Adapt the style to the subject
we need to choose between plane moderate, or bland |
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Think of the virtue denotatively not to add lies
If we listen with pleasure we are more likely to pay attention |
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Definition
| A small artist is content with art; a great artist is content with nothing except everything. |
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Term
| LaRusso's statements on entropy |
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Definition
The way you speak is how well you resist entropy. The way you speak is a measure of the grip of entropy on your life
LaRusso says we must work towards choosing our words well and not just doing the least we can |
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