Retorikken

Retorikken is the study and practice of rhetoric, the art of persuasive communication. The term derives from Greek rhetorike via Latin, and in Scandinavian languages denotes the discipline of persuasive communication and argumentation.

The central aims include understanding how messages are constructed to influence beliefs, attitudes, or actions, analyzing audience, purpose, and context. The field distinguishes three core modes of persuasion: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (reason and evidence), as proposed by Aristotle. Other influential concepts include kairos (timeliness), and audience adaptation (identifying suitable appeals for a given audience). Rhetoric also emphasizes the five canons: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery, though modern usage often prioritizes invention, arrangement, and style, with delivery as practical skill.

Historical overview: rhetoric originated in ancient Greece and was systematized by Aristotle, later developed by Roman writers Cicero and Quintilian. In the medieval and early modern periods, rhetoric was integrated into education and theology; in modern times it expanded to argumentation theory, critical discourse analysis, and media studies. Contemporary retorikken analyzes political speeches, legal arguments, advertising, journalism, and online communication, with attention to ethical considerations and manipulation, misinformation, and audience reception.

Applications: not only public speaking but also writing, campaigning, branding, and digital communication. Key tools include rhetorical devices (metaphor, parallelism, repetition, rhetorical questions) and strategies for structuring arguments, appeals to values, and persuading diverse audiences.