A classical orator showed that arguments can be broken down into three different categories.
- High (formal and ornate)
- Middle (understated but clear)
- Low (everyday or humorous)
These categories can be defined by many different factors. Small changes or tweaks to an argument can change the entire meaning. It can make it stronger, or weaker. Some as follows:
- Font choice
- Sentence Structure
- Word Choice
- Punctuation?
- Style and design
Something I thought was interesting was the section about figures of speech. Figures of speech were described as something that "differs from the ordinary." It is said that any word really could be argued one way or another, so technically everything is a figure of speech right? Not quite. Figures of speech have an obvious double meaning. For example, the book uses "smile factory" as a description of Disneyland. This is saying that many smiles are "manufactured" there. Another example of a figure of speech that is very common is "it's raining cats and dogs." Now this does really mean that cats and dogs are falling out of the sky, it is an exaggeration for more dramatic effect. Using a phrase like these can alter someone's argument because it makes the comparison or argument more memorable and strong. There are two types of figures of Speech:
- Tropes: change in the meaning of a word
- Schemes: a special arrangement of a word
This can be relevant to real life in many ways. It is useful when talking in a casual (low) way to say a close friend. This could be describing a crazy event, or explaining why your choice of something was better. Also in a formal argumentative essay trying to convince your teacher your position is the one to take. Using a figure of speech can be a way to show seriousness and even exaggeration. It can also be a way to make an audience relate to what is being argued by using a memorable descriptions.
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