THE HYBRID RHETORICAL ETHOS

Samuel Mateus

doi:10.1590/1982-4017-210203-11119

Abstract

Abstract There are three main schools for the study of the ethos: the pragmatic-discursive; the symbolic interactionist, and the rhetorical one. This paper aims to give an encompassing and fuller perspective on the rhetorical ethos that can be useful to the contemporary uses of the persuasive communication, including media communication such as advertising or marketing communication. Primarily, it outlines the conceptual employments ethos has suffered by through different subjects. Subsequently, it briefly enumerates the major rhetorical traditions; lastly, it postulates the rhetoric ethos as a hybrid notion that includes both a projected and an intended dimension. We hope this distinction allows us to better will envisage the persuasive communication further than the forum/agora and its several digital uses in the 21th century.

Highlights

If one had to say what is the main asset on the rhetorical systems, the triadic structure of logos, pathos and ethos would be one of the first to be mentioned
This paper aims to give an encompassing and fuller perspective on the rhetorical ethos that can be useful to the contemporary uses of persuasive communication, including media communication such as advertising or marketing communication
In order to explain what was meant by a hybrid nature of ethos, this paper briefly enunciated the main approaches that have been working in this notion: besides, the rhetorical tradition, it briefly talked about the pragmatic-discursive and the symbolic interactionist approaches

Summary

INTRODUCTION

If one had to say what is the main asset on the rhetorical systems, the triadic structure of logos, pathos and ethos would be one of the first to be mentioned. To Aristotle, the ethos is an artistic proof presented by the speaker to cause good impression and gain audience’s trust They emerge from the character traits that the speaker show to the audience in order to cause a positive imprint (Barthes, 1970). This is an important point since Aristotle’s conception overlooks fundamental aspects of ethos related to reputation and status, and their impact on persuasion It seems Aristotle was focused on a specific use of authority and credibility (speech), specific communicative situations (a speaker talking in the presence of an audience) and a specific social context (mainly political). This paper aims to give an encompassing and fuller perspective on the rhetorical ethos that can be useful to the contemporary uses of persuasive communication, including media communication such as advertising or marketing communication It starts by accounting the conceptual employments ethos has suffered by different disciplines. This distinction better enables us to envisage persuasive communication beyond the forum/agora towards its manifold, digital uses in 21th century

ETHOS CONCEPTUAL DISPLACEMENT

RHETORICAL ETHOS TRADITIONS

A HYBRID RHETORICAL ETHOS

THE PROJECTED AND THE INTENDED ETHOS

CONCLUSION