‘Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!’ Do you know where these famous words are from, Sam?
“朋友们，罗马人，同胞们，把你们的耳朵借给我吧！”你知道这些名言是从哪里来的吗，山姆？
Sam(山姆)
I think that’s a speech by Marc Antony in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.
我认为这是马克·安东尼在威廉·莎士比亚的戏剧《凯撒大帝》中的演讲。
Neil(尼尔)
Wow, I’m impressed! Caesar has been assassinated and Marc Antony tries to persuade the crowd to find his killers.
哇，我印象深刻！凯撒被暗杀了，马克·安东尼试图说服人群找到凶手。
Sam(山姆)
Using words to persuade people, giving them a good reason to do what you say, or to accept your argument, is known as ‘rhetoric’. In this programme, we’ll be hearing all about rhetoric and of course learning some related vocabulary as well.
The art of rhetoric started with the ancient Greek philosophers. Later, during the Roman republic, politicians and statesmen used rhetoric in speeches given to crowds in the public square.
Although technology has transformed the way we communicate since then, the art of rhetoric is still alive today. Modern politicians may prefer Twitter to the public square, but they still use persuasive language, including soundbites – short sentences or phrases giving a message in an easy to remember way.
We’ll hear more soon but first I have a question for you, Sam. Roman politicians used many rhetorical tricks to persuade people including the argumentum ad hominum which was an attack on their opponent’s moral character. Another was called the argumentum ad baculum – but what did it mean? Was it: a) an argument based on logic? b) an argument based on emotion? or c) an argument based on the stick?
我们很快就会听到更多消息，但首先我有一个问题要问你，山姆。罗马政客使用许多修辞技巧来说服人们，包括对对手道德品质的攻击。另一个被称为 argumentum ad baculum – 但它是什么意思？是：a）基于逻辑的论点吗？b） 基于情感的争论？还是 c） 基于棍子的论点？
Sam(山姆)
Well, to persuade someone your argument needs to be logical, so I’ll say a).
好吧，要说服某人，你的论点需要合乎逻辑，所以我会说一个）。
Neil(尼尔)
OK, we’ll find out the answer later. Whether you want someone to vote for you, or to buy what you’re selling, rhetoric can make your message persuasive. During his career in the adverting industry, Sam Tatum learned a lot about persuading people. Here he explains the many uses of rhetoric to BBC World Service programme, The Why Factor.
Rhetoric is persuasive language. We use it rally, to simplify the complex, to inspire and influence. It’s important, I think, to identify what strategies might be influencing us more than we think. By understanding the power of language in shaping perceptions, we can start to see, ‘I’m wondering why people are looking to be so concrete. Are we trying to pull the wool over our eyes on something that’s more far complex than we actually state?’.
As well as persuading people, Sam Tatum says rhetoric can be used to rally – to bring people together in support of a common goal. A recent example of this is the way politicians called the coronavirus our ‘enemy’.
The words politicians choose, and the way they use them, can influence us more than we think. Sam Tatum says we should question whether political rhetoric is trying to pull the wool over our eyes, an informal way of saying trick or deceive us.
But in the age of 24-hour news updates and non-stop Twitter, has the skill of making a thoughtful argument been lost? Here’s Kendal Phillips, professor of political philosophy at Syracuse University, speaking to BBC World Service’s, The Why Factor.
It’s hard to analyse the argument or reasoning of a tweet, ‘cos 280 characters is not a way for me to lay out a logical argument with a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion, it’s much easier to just use a two-word phrase or a hashtag that usually ends up adding to that kind of polemical division between my side and their side.
Global problems involve complex issues which cannot be solved in 280 letters, the maximum length of a tweet allowed by Twitter. According to Professor Kendal, we need logical arguments containing a premise – something which you think is true and you use as the basis for developing your idea, and a conclusion – your decision or plan of action based on carefully considering all the relevant facts.
For example: climate change is damaging the planet – that’s a premise; therefore, we should act to stop it – that’s a conclusion.
例如：气候变化正在破坏地球 —— 这是一个前提；因此，我们应该采取行动阻止它 —— 这是一个结论。
Neil(尼尔)
Few issues are simply black and white though, and this is a problem because Twitter debates are often polemical – argued very strongly either for or against a particular opinion or idea.
If you believe passionately in something, you need to explain it to people in a way they understand, and in ancient times rhetoric also meant building bridges between people and finding common ground. Like those Romans you mentioned, Neil.
Yes, in my question I asked Sam for the meaning of term, argumentum ad baculum.
是的，在我的问题中，我问 Sam 术语的含义，argumentum ad baculum。
Sam(山姆)
I guessed it was an argument based on logic.
我猜这是一个基于逻辑的论点。
Neil(尼尔)
Which was the wrong answer, I’m afraid. In fact, argumentum ad baculum means the argument with a stick, or in other words, hitting somebody with a stick until they agree with you! I guess that’s one way to win an argument. OK, let’s recap the vocabulary from the programme, starting with a soundbite – a short sentence or phrase designed to stick in the memory.
恐怕这是错误的答案。事实上，argumentum ad baculum 的意思是用棍子争论，或者换句话说，用棍子打某人，直到他们同意你的观点！我想这是赢得争论的一种方式。好了，让我们回顾一下节目中的词汇，从声音开始 —— 一个旨在留在记忆中的短句或短语。
Sam(山姆)
When people rally together, they unite to support a common goal.
当人们团结起来时，他们会团结起来支持一个共同的目标。
Neil(尼尔)
To pull the wool over someone’s eyes means to trick someone.
把羊毛拉到某人的眼睛上意味着欺骗某人。
Sam(山姆)
Logical arguments contain a premise – a truth used as the basis for developing an argument, and a conclusion – a decision based on carefully considering all the relevant facts.
And finally, polemical means strongly attacking or defending an opinion or idea. But there’s no arguing the fact that once again our six minutes are up! Goodbye for now!
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