Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ENG2036

 
TITLE Rhetoric, Language and Style

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT English

 
DESCRIPTION Combining theory and practice, this unit introduces students to the notions of style and rhetoric in language, both spoken and written. It also aims at providing students with the tools to critically evaluate the crucial role of style and rhetoric in various forms of discourse.

In the first part of the unit, the focus is on rhetoric.

Starting from classical rhetoric, and then briefly surveying the development of rhetoric and rhetorical theory to contemporary times, in the first few lectures the unit explores:
- Rhetoric as a tool of persuasion in speech (especially political oratory);
- The uneasy relation between rhetoric and truth;
- The relation between rhetoric and poetics;
- Rhetoric as a tool of literary criticism.

It then proceeds to apply theoretical insight in a series of practical, rhetorical analyses of literary texts and political speeches from different points in time.

In this part of the unit, the notions of ‘visual rhetoric’ and ‘digital rhetoric’ as well as their significance in contemporary discourse are also introduced.

The second part of the unit focuses on style.

This part starts from a discussion of how 'style' replaces 'rhetoric' as a major concern of poetics and language studies in modern times but also shows how rhetoric remains central to understanding how language works as a means of persuasion. With style, different aspects of language become objects of debate, including:
- The relation between meaning and style;
- The way style expresses individuality.

Key theorists of style like Susan Sontag, Roland Barthes, George Orwell and Frederic Jameson are discussed and their theoretical insights are then applied to a wide range of texts by different authors.

Students will be given the opportunity to not only think about the theories of style and rhetoric but also to appl what they have learned in text analysis well as in their own writing.

Study-unit Aims:

- To provide students with an understanding of the history of rhetoric;
- To provide students with an awareness of a variety of theories of style;
- To engage students in rhetorical-stylistic analyses;
- To allow students to start thinking more synoptically about language and language studies.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- trace the historical development of rhetoric and the contemporary relevance of rhetoric;
- distinguish between different ways of conceptualising style;
- identify the use of rhetorical devices in language;
- critique a variety of styles;
- identify different strategies for re-writing in different styles.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- use rhetorical devices to make their speech and writing more effective;
- assess language critically in terms of the use of rhetorical devices;
- critique and evaluate style differences;
- interact and intervene through different strategies of re-writing;
- re-centre, re-genre different texts;
- construct subjectivity and agency in and around texts.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Due to the nature of the unit, the best reading programme for students is a selection of articles and chapters that will be made available to students. The following books, however, will be referred to frequently during the lectures:

- Aristotle. Rhetoric. Trans. W Rhys Roberts. New York: Modern Library, 1954.
- Lanham, Richard A. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. University of California Press. 2013.
- Lang, Berel. The Concept of Style. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press. 1987.
- Barilli, Renato. Rhetoric. University of Minnesota Press. 1989.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Classwork Yes 50%
Examination (1 Hour) Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Mario Aquilina

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit