Expressivity in Rhetoric

Abstract Rhetoric names the study and practice of public speech and argument. Expressivity is central to rhetoric’s concerns because its focus is on performed argument aimed at influencing an audience’s judgment. Both cognitive and affective dimensions of speech are commonly deployed to dispose an audience intellectually and emotionally to a specific issue. That makes the distinction between expressive and non-expressive elements ambiguous and, by consequence, controversial, particularly as a medium of persuasion in civic discourse. This chapter explores the place of expressivity in rhetorical enquiry. It traces evolving attitudes toward expressive speech and its impact on audiences, from rhetoric’s ancient origins as advice on effective oratory through to modern skepticism concerning human passions. It highlights the enduring appeal of rhetorical analysis for interpreting expressivity and examines contrasting rhetorical approaches to the example of contemporary populism.