Saturday, October 6, 2012

Q2 Rhetorical Devices

After reading pages 82-87, I am now aware that I frequently use rhetorical devices every time I speak. In chapter 3, the authors define rhetorical devices as “the use of euphemisms, dysphemisms, hyperbole, and sarcasm to manipulate and persuade.” One form of rhetorical device that I use constantly is sarcasm. Sarcasm is the use of ridicule, insults, taunting, and/or caustic irony. One example of sarcasm I utilized in my speech was when I my friend asked if I was going to do homework on a Friday night. I simply replied with a, “Would a monkey eat an apple?” His response was just laughter and it was dismissed as humor. Another rhetorical device I use a lot is Hyperboles. An hyperbole is a rhetorical device that uses an exaggeration. This past week I used an hyperbole when I needed to use the bathroom. I said, “ I need to pee like a horse.” It was an exaggeration to distort the facts.

3 comments:

  1. When reading over these pages I too found that I too use sarcasm all the time. Most of the time, people don't even realize that they're being sarcastic because everyone around them does it as well. Sarcasm does not always have to be used in a negative way, it can be used in a positive way just to joke around or exaggerate the weight of a statement. Hyperbole are used quite often as well. Saying that you need to pee like a horse is...a little over the top considering the horses have no aspect where they need to pee really badly. The example is alright, but i think it might be better if it made sense.

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  2. Hi Brian,
    Just like you and I would believe most people these days I am a frequent user of the rhetorical device sarcasm. I feel that sarcasm gives an opportunity to make jokes/ lighten up the mood when sometimes something is too serious. Hyperbole are also used but most people do not know what it is called when they say a statement such as “I have to pee like a race horse”, for me that term was used as I was growing up and I never thought it had a grammatical name for what the phrase is. So It was nice to learn that this chapter.
    -Mike Ross

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  3. Hey Brayan,

    It's funny how we both use the same kind of rhetorical devices most commonly. I believe that it has a lot to do with the society and generation that we grew up in. We have role models in the media and characters in shows that use these two things on a regular basis. I feel that it got instilled in us with shows like All That, Hey Arnold, etc. Most of the characters used them and got a good reaction, so we do it too. Today, it’s just part of who we are. I think that our friends have a lot to do with our use of sarcasm and hyperboles as well. We feed each other with it.

    -CesarCOMM41

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