Rhetorical stance

"Rhetorical stance" is the position of a speaker or writer in relation to audience, topic, and situational context. It encompasses the same elements as "rhetorical situation" - which involves an author, speaker and subject, but is a more active concept. One is simply "in" a situation where; the author, audience and subject merely exist. "Rhetorical Stance" involves taking a position, and effectively developing an argument in favor of that position, in order to persuade an audience.

Wayne Booth described rhetoric as "the art of persuasion.” According to Booth, an effective author or speaker of rhetorical stance balances three essential elements within their rhetoric - Speaker, Argument and Audience. A speaker accomplishes this balance by using proper voice that implies character, as well as explicitly stating all pertinent arguments about the subject matter, and by taking into account the audience's distinct characteristics and personality traits.

Aristotle established the classic triad of ethos, pathos and logos that serves as the foundation of the rhetorical triangle. The rhetorical triangle has evolved from its original sophistic model into what rhetorician Sharon Crowley describes as the "postmodern" rhetorical triangle. The expanded rhetorical triangle now emphasizes context by integrating situational elements. It also embodies aspects such as, "movement, flexibility, contingency, and difference." The evolution of the rhetorical triangle has made speakers responsible for navigating increasingly complex rhetorical situations. The modern speaker identifies contextual relationships with their target audience in order to deliver a specific message with great effect.

Authors position themselves in relation to their audience based on the relevant interrelational contextual elements that affect the communication situation. Brian Street and Stephen Levinson are examples of scholars that came up with their own respective definitions of context. Brian Street argues for a broad definition of “context” to include “conceptual systems, political structures, economic processes, and so on, rather than simply a ‘network’ or ‘interaction’”. With this broad definition, he counters Stephen Levinson’s narrower definition, which limits relevant contextual elements to immediate and observable events. When the author or speaker has an understanding of the contextual situation, they can build credibility with their audience. Successful authors experience the building of credibility by having awareness of the relevant contextual circumstances that influence the delivery of the message, along with knowledge of the subject and clear perception of purpose.

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Wikipedia