Canons of Rhetoric

I challenge anyone to name one moment of time when communication has not been part of mankind's existence. That, of course, is a safe challenge as there has never been a time when any one of us has not been communicating something. Coinciding with that, I would venture to say there has never been a time when efforts have not been made to identify ways we can and should communicate more effectively. Whether it has been as a result of our efforts to self-improve or on the advice or teachings of others, identifying ways to be better at telling people what is on our mind, sharing information or getting others to do what we want remains a ever-constant goal.

One early attempt at helping others communicate more effectively is found during the time of ancient Rome. Specifically, I speak of what is called the five canons of rhetoric as introduced by Cicero. The canons are invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery. Briefly, invention refers to finding ways to persuade; arrangement calls upon the communicator to put together a well-structured argument; style speaks to being able to stir emotion in others;  memory is being able to speak without having to memorize one's remarks; and delivery refers to making an effective use of one's voice and presentation.

All of the canons, or at least some of them, can be seen in the efforts of public speakers, media personalities and even entertainers. Members of debate and forensic teams utilize them as well. Also, it almost goes without saying that public relations practitioners subscribe to Cicero's vision, too. When outreach efforts are well planned, stirring and visually impressive, they are drawing from what Cicero first envisioned. Further, his canons have inspired public relations scholars to advance and gain a better understanding of rhetoric and the overall field of communication. All this says much about Cicero and the social science he helped create.