Feng Ting

School of English Studies Xi'an International Studies University

Abstract：

Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals possess a powerful persuasive function. He argues that a successful speech should incorporate three rhetorical appeals: pathos, ethos, and logos. The skillful use of these three appeals enables speakers to achieve their communicative goals and demonstrates their linguistic proficiency. Taking the 2024 opening ceremony speeches of Peking University and Yale University as the corpus, this study applies Aristotle’s three appeals theory to analyze their linguistic features, explore the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western rhetorical practices, and examine how speakers skillfully utilize these appeals to fully fulfill their intended speech objectives.

Key Words：

Aristotle; three rhetorical appeals; speech