Lecture: 2 The Historical Roots of Public Speaking Flashcards
Who is Corax and Tisius: The rise of the sophists
(480-ish B.C.E) “ the art of rhetoric “
Corax- often believed to be the very first rhetorician or scholar of public speaking , wrote a treatise called “ “ the art of rhetoric “- believed to be the first person of the western world to writing thoughts/ theories on public speaking
Who is Tisius ?
Corax’s student - wandered and gave instruction to those who could afford it and training and teaching students to be good orators to win their land back in the Greek life system and civic affairs
Had the (revolutionary) notion public speaking wasn’t an innate skill you were born with but something to be taught
What were the Sophists ?
Sophists- were a legion of tutors or teachers in the fine art of public speaking
Greek word “Sophist”- wise or teaching
Who was Isocrates (436-338 B.C.E) ?
Great sophist, famous for his work, The Anitdosis
influential speech writer and teacher
believed the orator should be trained in the liberal arts and be a good person
Who is Plato (428-348 B.C.E) ?
Powerful, influential thinker and scholar
rhetoric is “the art of winning the soul”
Ran the Academy
thought sophists took their practices to far from the truth, engaged in unethical practices simply to win their cases and debates
believed the true aims of rhetoric should be the most noble, ethical
student of Socrates, wrote extensively, wrote plays about him
Who was Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E)
A student of Plato
Built his own school , the Lyceum
Complied a book of rhetoric, En Rhetorica , About rhetoric , pivotal
focus on persuasion
Who is Cicero (106-43 B.C.E) ?
Rhetoric is “speech designed to persuade”
believed it was fundamental in military, civic, city -state life
great public speaker, attorney, educator, states man
Was put to death by second in command, Mark Antony
Wrote
De Inventione , On invention
De Oratore , On oratory
Orator
Who was Quintilian ( 35-95 A.D) ?
“Rhetoric is the art of speaking well”
scholar , writer, practice law
taught about how to raise Roman orators from the cradle to grave
wrote a 12 volume , Institutio de Oratore
What are the 5 Canons of rhetoric ?
Invention - the creation, discovery, production of what it is you will say in a speech
ex. choosing topic, research, wording
Arrangement- how to organize what you want to say into key points
ex. proper intro, body, conclu.
Style- refers to your wording
ex. clear concise wording , linguistic devices , vivid wording
Memory- the presenter memorizing their speech
word for word
adapted into practicing ones’ speech more conversational
Delivery - how to use vocal and physical delivery
ex. body language , voice
