[ehecatl]

And "To whom are they speaking"?

What you are giving a succinct overview of is Aristotle's _Ars Rhetorica_ Cracking read, BTW.

[scandox]

Yes indeed I had neglected the "To whom"...which reminds me how often I think a message is aimed at me (egomania) when in fact it has an audience I am not even aware exists...

[janniks]

Is there a good translation available somewhere?