C2 · 50 words
Rhetoric in Spanish
Proof, arrangement, figure, delivery — the terms a speech has been described with for two thousand years.
El lugar común argumentativo is the topos, the mould an argument is poured into, and the word to be careful with is the one standing next to it. El tópico is not a topic. It is a cliché, something said so often that it has stopped meaning anything: caer en el tópico is to reach for the worn phrase. What English calls a topic is el tema or el asunto. And tópico as an adjective is medical: de uso tópico is what goes on the skin.
The words
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Phrase (33)
la invención del discursothe finding of what to sayPhraseC2
La invención del discurso busca qué decir, no cómo.The finding of what to say looks for the what, not the how.
la disposición del discursothe ordering of the speechPhraseC2
La disposición del discurso decide la mitad del efecto.The ordering of the speech decides half the effect.
la memoria del oradorthe holding of the speech in the headPhraseC2
La memoria del orador se apoyaba en imágenes de lugares.The holding of the speech in the head rested on pictures of places.
la acción oratoriathe deliveryPhraseC2
La acción oratoria abarca voz, gesto y silencio.The delivery takes in voice, gesture and silence.
la narración de los hechosthe telling of what happenedPhraseC2
La narración de los hechos ya contiene el argumento.The telling of what happened already contains the argument.
la argumentación probatoriathe laying out of the proofPhraseC2
La argumentación probatoria ordena de menor a mayor fuerza.The laying out of the proof goes from the weaker to the stronger.
el ethos del oradorthe speaker's credibilityPhraseC2
El ethos del orador se gana antes de hablar.The speaker's credibility is won before he opens his mouth.
el logos argumentativothe argument itselfPhraseC2
El logos argumentativo sostiene lo que el pathos empuja.The argument itself holds up what the feeling pushes.
el lugar común argumentativothe ready-made mould an argument is poured intoPhraseC2
El lugar común argumentativo es un molde, no un tópico.The ready-made mould an argument is poured into is a form, not a cliché.
el argumento de autoridadthe argument from authorityPhraseC2
El argumento de autoridad vale lo que valga la autoridad.The argument from authority is worth what the authority is worth.
el argumento por analogíathe argument from likenessPhraseC2
El argumento por analogía se rompe donde la semejanza termina.The argument from likeness breaks where the likeness ends.
la falacia argumentativathe fallacy that looks like reasoningPhraseC2
La falacia argumentativa convence porque parece un razonamiento.The fallacy that looks like reasoning convinces because it wears the shape of one.
el hombre de pajathe fallacy that refutes what nobody saidPhraseC2
El hombre de paja refuta lo que nadie ha dicho.The fallacy that refutes what nobody said knocks down its own invention.
la petición de principiothe fallacy that assumes what it sets out to provePhraseC2
La petición de principio da por probado lo que discute.The fallacy that assumes what it sets out to prove starts from the conclusion.
la falsa disyuntivathe fallacy that offers only two ways outPhraseC2
La falsa disyuntiva ofrece dos salidas donde hay cinco.The fallacy that offers only two ways out gives two where there are five.
la pendiente resbaladizathe fallacy that chains consequences without proofPhraseC2
La pendiente resbaladiza encadena consecuencias sin prueba.The fallacy that chains consequences without proof strings them together with nothing in between.
el ataque a la personathe fallacy that goes for the personPhraseC2
El ataque a la persona cambia el tema sin decirlo.The fallacy that goes for the person changes the subject without saying so.
la concesión retóricathe point conceded on purposePhraseC2
La concesión retórica desarma antes de contradecir.The point conceded on purpose disarms before it contradicts.
la pregunta retóricathe question that is really a statementPhraseC2
La pregunta retórica afirma con forma de duda.The question that is really a statement asserts in the shape of a doubt.
la interrogación reiteradathe question repeated again and againPhraseC2
La interrogación reiterada acelera el ritmo del párrafo.The question repeated again and again quickens the pace of the paragraph.
la anticipación de la objeciónthe taking of the objection firstPhraseC2
La anticipación de la objeción roba el argumento al contrario.The taking of the objection first steals the other side's argument.
la moderación del énfasisthe holding back of the emphasisPhraseC2
La moderación del énfasis dice menos para que pese más.The holding back of the emphasis says less so that it weighs more.
la gradación descendentethe order that puts the weakest lastPhraseC2
La gradación descendente sirve para desinflar.The order that puts the weakest last is for letting the air out.
el paralelismo sintácticothe two sentences built the same wayPhraseC2
El paralelismo sintáctico se recuerda solo.The two sentences built the same way are remembered without effort.
la ironía retóricathe saying of the opposite on purposePhraseC2
La ironía retórica depende de que el público la reconozca.The saying of the opposite on purpose depends on the audience noticing.
la perífrasis retóricathe going round a word instead of using itPhraseC2
La perífrasis retórica alarga para no nombrar.The going round a word instead of using it takes longer in order not to name it.
la captación de benevolenciathe winning of goodwillPhraseC2
La captación de benevolencia se hace en dos frases.The winning of goodwill is done in two sentences.
el decoro del discursothe fitting of the style to the matterPhraseC2
El decoro del discurso ajusta el estilo al asunto.The fitting of the style to the matter suits the one to the other.
el estilo llanothe plain stylePhraseC2
El estilo llano informa sin adornar.The plain style informs without ornament.
el estilo sublimethe high stylePhraseC2
El estilo sublime se reserva para lo grave.The high style is kept for grave matters.
la brevedad calculadathe shortness that was worked forPhraseC2
La brevedad calculada cuesta más trabajo que la extensión.The shortness that was worked for costs more effort than length.
la cadencia de la frasethe fall of the sentencePhraseC2
La cadencia de la frase se oye aunque se lea en silencio.The fall of the sentence is heard even in silent reading.
el silencio calculadothe silence placed on purposePhraseC2
El silencio calculado dura más de lo cómodo.The silence placed on purpose lasts longer than is comfortable.
Noun (f) (10)
la retóricarhetoricNoun (f)C2
La retórica no es adorno, es estructura.Rhetoric is not decoration, it is structure.
la elocuciónthe putting of it into wordsNoun (f)C2
La elocución es donde el estilo se vuelve visible.The putting of it into words is where the style becomes visible.
la refutaciónthe answering of the other sideNoun (f)C2
La refutación se adelanta a la objeción.The answering of the other side gets in before the objection.
la peroraciónthe closeNoun (f)C2
La peroración resume y conmueve a la vez.The close sums up and moves at the same time.
la amplificaciónthe building up by saying more each timeNoun (f)C2
La amplificación repite creciendo, no repitiendo igual.The building up by saying more each time repeats by growing, not by repeating.
la antítesisthe two ideas set against each otherNoun (f)C2
La antítesis enfrenta dos ideas en la misma frase.The two ideas set against each other stand in the same sentence.
la lítotethe saying of something by denying its oppositeNoun (f)C2
La lítote afirma negando lo contrario.The saying of something by denying its opposite affirms by negation.
la prosopopeyathe making of a thing speakNoun (f)C2
La prosopopeya hace hablar a lo que no habla.The making of a thing speak lets what has no voice say something.
la demagogiademagogyNoun (f)C2
La demagogia usa el pathos contra el logos.Demagogy sets the feeling against the argument.
la sofísticathe art of arguing either sideNoun (f)C2
La sofística enseñó a defender ambas partes.The art of arguing either side taught people to defend both.
Noun (m) (7)
el exordiothe openingNoun (m)C2
El exordio busca benevolencia antes que atención.The opening looks for goodwill before it looks for attention.
el pathosthe feeling stirred in the audienceNoun (m)C2
El pathos mueve, no demuestra.The feeling stirred in the audience moves people and proves nothing.
el entimemathe syllogism with one premise left unsaidNoun (m)C2
El entimema deja una premisa sin decir.The syllogism with one premise left unsaid leaves it to the listener.
el silogismothe syllogism spelled out in fullNoun (m)C2
El silogismo encadena dos premisas y una conclusión.The syllogism spelled out in full chains two premises and a conclusion.
el excursothe digressionNoun (m)C2
El excurso funciona si vuelve.The digression works if it comes back.
el clímaxthe order that puts the strongest lastNoun (m)C2
El clímax coloca lo más fuerte al final.The order that puts the strongest last keeps the best for the end.
el apóstrofethe turning aside to address somebody absentNoun (m)C2
El apóstrofe se dirige a quien no está.The turning aside to address somebody absent speaks to whoever is not there.
This list belongs to Opinions and arguing — twelve lists and 596 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.