Rhetoric as a persuasive technique, school subject and social practice has determined our literary and social linguistic life since the 5th century BC. Its history is the history of the production of speech under changing social conditions. Rhetoric has managed to re-establish itself as an academic subject at German universities since the 1960s, and today, in our advanced media society, it plays an outstanding role in advertising, sales and the social technology of management. - The Rhetoric Yearbook summarises rhetoric research (...) in Germany and presents new publications in an extended review section. A current bibliography provides information on all German-language publications related to rhetoric.Contributions are published in English, French and German. (shrink)

The history of ëpathosë since the 18th century is a history full of misconceptions and misinterpretations. This essay is an attempt to give a secure ground to the current discussion about the meaning of pathos by examining the rhetorical roots of the concept. Therefore, the author is taking a look at Aristotle's fundamental definition of ëpathosí and his threefold scheme of types of appeal. Moreover Cicero's modification of Aristotle's concept is scrutinised. Emphasising Cicero's importance for the discussion against the tendency (...) to consider Longinus as the most substantial authority on ëpathosí opens a new perspective on the issue. As a result it becomes clear that ëpathosí is one means of persuasion among others and that the misuse of pathos in the 19th and 20th century is a result of ignoring the rhetorical insights into this mean of persuasion. (shrink)