Rhetoric

Rhetoric comes from an ancient Greek word rhetorike that means debate or manner of speech. It originally meant the oratory nature of spoken language&sbquo but today it has been completely transformed to mean style&sbquo metaphor and transferred meaning in written language. From the flowery use of spoken words in ancient Greek debates&sbquo and through the process of transformation of meaning to written poetic expression&sbquo it became the target of hatred&sbquo disregard&sbquo and criticism as a factor that disturbs the content of expression in the Renaissance period in particular. In Japan too&sbquo its negative aspect related to the expression of content was pointed out. These misunderstandings&sbquo however&sbquo were dissolved by taking the standpoint of detaching content from the expression and placing importance on the abstract quality. Due partly to such historical experiences&sbquo reestablishing the word rhetoric today has become easy. That is&sbquo by comprehending the relationships between rhetoric and poetry and logic semiotically as a means of language&sbquo symbols and communication&sbquo it is being recognized semiotically rather than technically.
I've concluded that there are four possible approaches to viewing rhetoric in design. One is a metaphoric meaning in technicality and expressive content. Technicality of expression here means control of the degree of ornamentation for rhetorical figurative expression. Next comes an interpretation of whether such expressive technicality is rhetorical or metaphorical. The third is the meaning of imparting form. Formative language in particular can become a means to impart a metaphorical impression or an impression of transferred meaning to an expression. The fourth is the fact that rhetorical expression becomes necessary in many cases when expressing the impression of design expression directly in written words. I firmly believe that these four relationships between design and rhetoric are the basics for refining the relationship between design and semiotics. In other words&sbquo new interpretations for the mutuality of design as semiotics or semiotics as design become possible by in corporating the technique of rhetoric&sbquo and hence even contributing to the evolution of design methodology and semiotics.

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