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VoxMasters: Using Rhetorical Techniques to Address an Audience

Read an MLDP Participant’s account of our most recent session in VoxMasters. For more information, about MLDP, click here. 

VoxMasters meets on Wednesday evenings at 6 PM. Click here for more information.


The focus of this week's session was to look at rhetorical devices when people speak. Nikki Sachdeva ‘15, a student discussion group leader at the Rockefeller Center, gave several examples that included the use of parallel structure, saying things in threes, rhetorical questions, and repetition. For example, she said that when President Obama would speak, he would start by saying: "To the autoworker that...., to the mother that...., to the child that...." This parallel structure links the different experiences that people have, and also sounds great during his speech.
The second part of the session included splitting the group in half to practice impromptu acceptance speeches in honor of the Academy Awards, but did not necessarily have to be accepting an Oscar. Some people accepted an Oscar, while others accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, FIFA Best Player Award, or even an award from the CnT. I gave my speech last in the group and accepted the Oscar for Best Actor. After each person spoke, the group gave feedback on what we thought could be improved and what went well during the speech.
- Written by George Philipose '15, Winter 2013 MLDP Participant and Student Discussion Group Leader of Rockefeller Business and Entrepreneurial Leaders (RBEL)