Ethos at the Crossroads of Disciplines: Rhetoric, Pragmatics, Sociology

Abstract Examining the rhetorical notion of ethos at the crossroads of disciplines, this article builds up an integrated model attempting to reconcile Bourdieu’s theory of language and power with pragmatic views of illocutionary force. For the sociolo-gist, the authority of the orator depends on his institutional position; for Ducrot or Maingueneau, drawing on Aristotle, the image of the orator is built by the discourse itself. Analyzing political as well as literary texts, this essay takes into account the institutional position of the speaker; his ‘‘prior ethos’ ’ (the image his audience has of him before he takes the floor); the distribution of roles inherent in the selected genre and the stereotypes attached to these roles; and the verbal strategies through which the speaker builds an image of self in his discourse. ‘‘Argumentative analysis’ ’ thus explores a dynamic process in which social, institutional, and linguistic elements are closely connected. What is Ethos? In Aristotle’s art of persuasion, the term ethos (in Greek, character) desig-nates the image of self built by the orator in his speech in order to exert an influence on his audience.1 It is one of three means of proof, the two others being logos, referring to both discourse and reason, and pathos, meaning the This research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation of the Israel Academy of Sci-ences andHumanities. A different version appeared in French. Sections reproduced from the French were translated by Denise Pessah. . For an extensive presentation of this notion in ancient rhetoric, see Wisse as well as Kennedy . An excellent discussion of Aristotle’s use of ethos can be found in Eggs . Poetics Today : (Spring ) Copyright © by the Porter Institute for Poetics an