A General Rhetoric
Encyclopedia
A General Rhetoric is a 1970 book by the Belgian semioticians known as Groupe µ
. The first part of the book reformulates classical rhetoric within semiotics, while the second part discusses the new concept of a general rhetoric, which introduces rhetorical figures for storytelling
, called figures of narration.
It became a classic of human sciences and has been translated in more than 20 languages.
categorized the figures of narration are following Hjelmslev's sign model, and included in the analysis of each group the perspective of two fundamental aspects of Quintilian
's classical rhetoric: the principle of deviation from a norm, and the four fundamental operations
for such of variation.
Hjelmslev distinguished between the expression plane and the content plane, and then further between form and substance. Moreover, Hjelmslev's considered the "internal structure of language" to be a system of figurae, which he considered, instead of the sign
, to be the ultimate semiotic unity. His analysis distinguished between expression-figurae (or figurae of the expression plane) and content-figurae, and then within each between form and content. Groupe µ
's essay discusses figures of the substance of expression , figures of the form of expression, and figures of form of content. They avoid discussion the figures of the substance of content, wondering if they are actually conceivable, and leave them to future works building a universal theory of semantics.
For the figures of the substance of expression they make the examples of diction
in speech and the font
of a written text. Following a quote from Hjelmslev, they define variations in the substance of expression as variation in the modalities of the physical medium. For speech, they make exaples of possible different modalities of enunciation
of a text, like reading it with monotone diction, with emphatic diction, or singing it, which are all variations from the established "norm" of reading text "normally". For written text, whose substance is graphic, the modalities of variation of the substance of expression include handwriting
and fonts. In printing a book, it is possible to choose among several fonts: in the final results, the physical medium and substance will be the same, they will just have different modalities.
Regarding the definition of form of expression, one of the examples given is syntactic play.
Groupe µ
Groupe µ is the collective pseudonym under which a group of Belgian 20th-century semioticians wrote a series of books, presenting an exposition of modern semiotics....
. The first part of the book reformulates classical rhetoric within semiotics, while the second part discusses the new concept of a general rhetoric, which introduces rhetorical figures for storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
, called figures of narration.
It became a classic of human sciences and has been translated in more than 20 languages.
Figures of narration
Groupe µGroupe µ
Groupe µ is the collective pseudonym under which a group of Belgian 20th-century semioticians wrote a series of books, presenting an exposition of modern semiotics....
categorized the figures of narration are following Hjelmslev's sign model, and included in the analysis of each group the perspective of two fundamental aspects of Quintilian
Quintilian
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus was a Roman rhetorician from Hispania, widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing...
's classical rhetoric: the principle of deviation from a norm, and the four fundamental operations
Rhetorical operations
Since classical rhetoric, the four fundamental rhetorical operations, which still today serve to encompass the various figures of speech, have been: addition , omission , permutation and transposition...
for such of variation.
Hjelmslev distinguished between the expression plane and the content plane, and then further between form and substance. Moreover, Hjelmslev's considered the "internal structure of language" to be a system of figurae, which he considered, instead of the sign
Sign (semiotics)
A sign is understood as a discrete unit of meaning in semiotics. It is defined as "something that stands for something, to someone in some capacity" It includes words, images, gestures, scents, tastes, textures, sounds – essentially all of the ways in which information can be...
, to be the ultimate semiotic unity. His analysis distinguished between expression-figurae (or figurae of the expression plane) and content-figurae, and then within each between form and content. Groupe µ
Groupe µ
Groupe µ is the collective pseudonym under which a group of Belgian 20th-century semioticians wrote a series of books, presenting an exposition of modern semiotics....
's essay discusses figures of the substance of expression , figures of the form of expression, and figures of form of content. They avoid discussion the figures of the substance of content, wondering if they are actually conceivable, and leave them to future works building a universal theory of semantics.
For the figures of the substance of expression they make the examples of diction
Diction
Diction , in its original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices and style of expression in a poem or story...
in speech and the font
Font
In typography, a font is traditionally defined as a quantity of sorts composing a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface...
of a written text. Following a quote from Hjelmslev, they define variations in the substance of expression as variation in the modalities of the physical medium. For speech, they make exaples of possible different modalities of enunciation
Enunciation
In phonetics, enunciation is the act of speaking. Good enunciation is the act of speaking clearly and concisely. The opposite of good enunciation is mumbling or slurring. See also pronunciation which is a component of enunciation. Pronunciation is to pronounce sounds of words correctly....
of a text, like reading it with monotone diction, with emphatic diction, or singing it, which are all variations from the established "norm" of reading text "normally". For written text, whose substance is graphic, the modalities of variation of the substance of expression include handwriting
Handwriting
Handwriting is a person's particular & individual style of writing with pen or pencil, which contrasts with "Hand" which is an impersonal and formalised writing style in several historical varieties...
and fonts. In printing a book, it is possible to choose among several fonts: in the final results, the physical medium and substance will be the same, they will just have different modalities.
Regarding the definition of form of expression, one of the examples given is syntactic play.
Editions
- 1970, original French edition published by Larousse
- 1981, English translation by Paul B. Burrell and Edgar M. Slotkin. Johns Hopkins University Press
- 1982, paperback edition, published by Le Seuil (collection "Points").
Further reading
- Muzzioli, Francesco (2004) Le strategie del testo: introduzione all'analisi retorica della letteratura