Skip to content
Show
The Five Canons of Rhetoric: For Better Communications
The Five Canons of RhetoricEffective communication and presentation is something that humans have been studying for millennia. These are skills that can be improved with both knowledge and theory, and with practice. Cicero is regarded as being one of Rome’s greatest orators.The ancient Greeks and Romans were particularly interested oratory and communication. Several of their surviving texts detail the five major “canons” of rhetoric. In fact, the five canons of rhetoric have been credited to the Roman orator, senator and consul, Cicero. He’s believed to have written them in about 50 BC. (As an aside, Robert Harris’ “Cicero Trilogy” is an excellent insight into a fascinating person.) The five canons of rhetoric are simply the five skills that individuals need to have to be great at communicating. While these canons date from a long time ago, they’re still relevant for anyone looking to create and deliver effective communications today. We’ll look at each of them in turn. Free Seminars.At least once a month we deliver a free, online learning session as part of our goals as a community interest company. These seminars last about an hour and cover topics that are dear to our hearts. They usually take place at 1pm UK time, and you can keep your camera off so they might make a nice lunch companion. InventionInvention is the process of coming up with what you want to say to persuade your audience of your view. What are the key messages and points that will help you convince your audience of your point of view? To do this stage well requires clarity of purpose and understanding of the subject and your audience. At this stage you also need to choose your presentation style (and now days your medium) and decide how long your presentation should be. ArrangementSpeeches, like music, should be carefully arranged.Arrangement is the process of structuring your content. You need to put all the great things you thought of in the invention stage into a good order so that they work together and so that they help you land your message and persuade your audience. Modern arrangement usually has three stages: introduction, body and conclusion. Th classical arrangement that Cicero would have used though had five stages: introduction, state neutral facts, make your case, refute alternative positions, conclude your presentation. This arrangement can still be used if you wish, though most people go with the three stage approach. It’s important to think about your arrangement across all forms and mediums of communication and make sure that what you choose is right for your audience and your chosen medium. StyleStyle is the process of choosing language and constructing your presentation so as to create an emotional response. This is the Pathos part of the rhetorical triangle. Eloquence and structuring and help achieve this outcome, as can the skilled use of emotive language and rhetorical devices such as analogy, allusion and alliteration. Julius Caesar was a contemporary of Cicero.MemoryMemory relates to remembering enough so that you can present fully and fluently, without notes. This was essential in the Roman era when the canons were written and orators needed to speak for hours at a time. While it’s perhaps slightly less important now, it’s still a very useful skill. Many great speakers visualize their presentations in advance, do “dress rehearsals”, explore their environments and understand multiple layers of their presentations (from full text to a few key bullet points). DeliveryThe canons are still used today.Delivery is the last of the five canons of rhetoric. Itinvolves using all the tools available to you to effectively communicate. We know that words are only a tiny part of communication (See the 7-38-55 communication model), and that to be at our most effective as communicators we need to use a range of methods and tools. Emphasis, tone of voice, change of pace, pauses, volume, gesticulation, body language, positioning and props are all tools to help effectively deliver your arguments. Learning MoreThe World of Work Project ViewIt’s an only model, but a very good one. There is a reason that it has lasted for more than 2,000 years and is still talked about. And that reason is that it covers a lot of what is important regarding communication. While when we prepare our communications (and our podcasts) we don’t actually use this model, we still believe that an understanding of it is important and helpful for most people who are looking to create and deliver effective and persuasive communications. PS – we know that the pic for this post is of cannons, not canons :) Our Podcast.Our Podcast is a great way to learn more about hundreds of fascinating topics from around the world of work. The contents of this post have been based on various articles from the internet, but Cicero’s text, “De Inventione”, is the original source on which they have been based. We’re a small organization who know we make mistakes and want to improve them. Please contact us with any feedback you have on this post. We’ll usually reply within 72 hours. TWOWP2021-07-26T14:47:30+00:00Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!Related PostsThis website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT Privacy OverviewThis website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Subscribe For Latest UpdatesSign up to best of business news, informed analysis and opinions on what matters to you. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time. Who is credited for creating the fiveCicero is considered one of the most significant rhetoricians of all time. He is most famous in the field of public speaking for creating the five canons of rhetoric, a five-step process for developing a persuasive speech that we still use to teach public speaking today.
Who developed a fiveAlan H. Monroe's (1935) motivated sequence is a commonly used speech format that is used by many people to effectively organize persuasive messages. The pattern consists of five basic stages: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action.
What is the 5 step persuasive strategy?Monroe's Motivated Sequence of Persuasion Steps
The steps are: Attention, Need, Satisfaction, Visualization and Action.
Who is the father of public speaking?Widely considered the founder of the study of rhetoric, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), Image 1, was the first philosopher to consider the dynamics of public speaking and persuasion, and to compile those observations in The Rhetoric.
What are the 5 parts of a persuasive speech?The five basic elements of persuasion--source, message, medium, public and effect. Let's look at each element briefly.
What was Cicero's contribution to public speaking?Cicero wrote four essays on oratory with De Inventione being the first. In it he indicate five procedures that make up oratory: Invention, Arrangement, Style, Memory and Delivery.
|