A rhetorical situation involves specific ways of speaking and opposing viewpoints. Constraints, or boundaries, are an important aspect. It is often studied in academia, with students analyzing texts and speeches. It helps audiences analyze communication pieces from a smarter point of view.
A rhetorical situation is a broad term for a situation involving examples of rhetoric or particular ways of speaking. The specific parameters of a rhetorical situation differ according to opposing points of view. Some define a rhetorical situation as consisting of a problem, an audience and the surrounding context, while others would define the term as consisting of the speaker, the audience and the relevant problem.
Along with the controversy about what specifically makes up a rhetorical situation, there is also a debate about its origin and impact on actual language or rhetoric. Some theories suggest that situations cause certain types of rhetoric to occur, while others argue that it is the rhetoric that creates the situation or creates relevance between the speaker and the audience.
An important aspect in most viewpoints of rhetorical situations are the “constraints”. Constraints are part of the context. They are the boundaries of what happens in a rhetorical situation. This is just one of the more abstract aspects of these situations that students or researchers can study. Some in the academic world refer to these constraints with a Greek word, kairos which in ancient Greek society expressed a similar concept.
In general, rhetorical situations are often observed or analyzed in an academic context. Instructors in some areas of the humanities may ask students to contemplate a rhetorical situation and provide detailed and intelligent commentary about it. This type of research also happens in some areas of secondary education, where a high school class might include analyzing rhetorical situations. Also, in some types of standardized tests, students may be asked to read a text that represents a particular rhetorical situation and to identify parts of the author’s intent to explain them during the test. Students can use strategies such as “text mapping” to understand how a writer works within a rhetorical situation.
In its broadest sense, rhetorical situations are simply part of a theory of discourse. It is a construct that helps readers or other audiences make sense of a “communication piece,” such as a text or transcript. It leads to a broader recognition of the events and relationships surrounding that single piece of communication. In other words, it helps the audience analyze the text or speech from a smarter point of view.
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