Polite Speech: A Rhetorical Analysis

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In our modern society, speech and knowledge of its impact and implications are essential to the growth of relationships and the access point to opportunities. By understanding how to for a person to gain trust and influence in a relationship. This is of polite speech for personal gain and the building of trust can similarly be seen in our government, our schools, and in our local establishments. As representatives of our interests and concerns, government officials must have the trust and faith of their constituents in order to become elected for their respective poisons and gain status in the political realm. Polite speech is often used by these figures in hopes of garnering popularity and appearing genuine to their constituents. An example of this can be seen though former President Barack Obama. During his presidency, Obama commonly addressed the nation as “my fellow Americans.” This single phase and example of polite speech was critical to his success and popularity as a politician and president; by addressing the public as friends or comrades, Obama was able to connect on a deeper level to his constituents, garnering their trust and respect right from the start. He used this polite speech to gain favor of the American people and advantageously …show more content…

One such example would be when a student refers to their teacher as “ma'am” or “sir.” By using these authoritative pronouns, power is given to the teachers, thereby making the interaction more favorable, allowing the student to gain more trust and respect from their teachers. Similarly, by using phrases such as “May I use the restroom?” as opposed to “I need to use the restroom”, students can earn the respect of their teachers and create a stronger relationship with them. Simply changing a few words to make a phrase or request can drastically change the tone and reception of the

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