Student Question

Which term best matches the argument, "I've been to Iraq; here's what we should do": Ethos, Pathos, Logos, or Connotation?

Expert Answers

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This is an example of ethos, because the speaker has the authority of previous experience. A great example of Ethos is the kind of commercial that uses celebrity endorsements, like a famous football player recommending a sports drink.  His endorsement feels credible and believable because he has personal experience.

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This is an example of ethos.  Ethos is the form of argument in which you claim that people should pay attention to you because you have some credentials or authority that makes your opinion worthwhile.  So this person is claiming that having been to Iraq gives them credibility.

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If I remember right, Ethos means credibility or authority;. Pathos means passion, or the emotional appeal; Logos means logic and facts; and Connotation suggests the popular meaning of a word or phrase rather than the literal meaning. My answers would be: A, B, D, A, C, D, B. Of course these are just guesses based on what I understand the terms to mean. :)

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