Retorikaare

Retorikaare is a term used in some strands of rhetoric and communication studies to describe a framework for analyzing and producing rhetoric across multiple modalities. It treats rhetoric not just as speech but as arranged structures—texts, visuals, sounds, and interactions—designed to persuade, inform, or mobilize audiences. The concept emphasizes the architecture of argument, audience alignment, and the interplay between content, form, and context.

Etymology and origins: The word blends retorika (rhetoric) with a suffix resembling those used to denote fields of study in several languages. It is not widely standardized and has no single canonical definition, with usage varying by author.

Core elements: Ethos, logos, and pathos remain central, but retorikaare expands emphasis to kairos (timeliness), platform-specific constraints, and multimodality. It involves analysis of textual, visual, and aural design choices, audience segmentation, and the ethical implications of persuasive techniques.

Applications: In education, retorikaare informs critical media literacy and persuasive writing pedagogy. In politics, marketing, and public discourse, it guides the evaluation of rhetorical effectiveness on diverse platforms—from speeches to social media threads to video content.

Critique and status: As a relatively new or informal label, retorikaare lacks formal consensus and is often used descriptively rather than prescriptively. Critics caution against overgeneralizing across disciplines and platforms and call for clearer methodological standards.

Related topics include rhetoric, argumentation theory, digital rhetoric, and multimodality.