On the face of it, rhetoric and oracy would seem the same, but although they have much in common, they have some significant differences.
What is the difference between rhetoric and oracy? At first thought, the two ideas may seem the same or at least very similar. Let’s start with my definitions of the two concepts.
Rhetoric is about far more than influencing people through speech. It is how we communicate effectively in our daily lives and, in addition to speech, can take the form of text, images, videos, or any other form of media.
Oracy is the ability to speak persuasively, articulate thoughts and ideas clearly, listen powerfully to others, clarify our own ideas and understanding, influence each other through conversation, and express our views with confidence and humility.
Oracy is about speech
The first noticeable distinction is that although historically, rhetoric was only about speech, today, it encompasses how we express ourselves in writing, images, video, and other forms of media. Oracy, on the other hand, is primarily about speech.
Oracy is about dialogue not monologue
The second distinction is that rhetoric is more about how we talk and present our views, while oracy is far more about conversation and how we interact with people. In other words, rhetoric is primarily active, while oracy is predominantly interactive. Rhetoric is more about monologue; oracy is more about dialogue. Rhetoric is more suited to debate, while oracy is more suited to dialogue.
Oracy does not have the negative aspects of rhetoric
Thirdly, rhetoric has taken on a negative meaning in recent years, especially in the context of political rhetoric. Rhetoric is increasingly used and seen as clever wordplay to persuade others that a particular point of view is correct when that may or may not be accurate. Oracy does not have such a negative connotation.
Summary
Oracy encompasses the speech aspects of rhetoric and more.
To become a skilled communicator and influencer and better practice Conversational Leadership, we need to develop skills in oracy, not rhetoric alone.
Resources
- Blog Post: Oracy and rhetoric: the relevance of public speaking skills in antiquity and today by Henriette Van Der Blom
- Article: Rhetoric and Oracy in the Classics Classroom by Bhavini Tailor
Posts that link to this post
- Oracy The ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language
- The Long History of Argument A series of talks by Rory Stewart
- Rhetoric To influence people through speech or writing
- Comparing Oracy and Rhetoric What's the difference?
- Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Communicating effectively in spoken language
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