Klaipėdos universitetas

The article explores the rhetorical disposition (structural composition) of the speeches delivered by the most renowned American business leaders, which is approached from the perspective of persuasion. The aim of the research is to analyse the dispositional topic of the speeches in question: to determine and generalise the most common elements of rhetorical composition. Fifty speeches by American business leaders, delivered on various occasions in the period 1981 to 2019, have been chosen and analysed in this article. The research is intended to answer the question whether contemporary orators still follow the principles of structural composition proposed by Classical rhetorical theory, and to observe how dispositional topics are changing with regard to orally delivered speeches.

The article explores the rhetorical elocution of speeches given by the most famous American business leaders, seen from the point of view of persuasiveness. The aim of the research is to analyse the figurative expression of the speeches in question, to determine and generalise the most common elements of their rhetorical stylistics. Fifty speeches by American business leaders, given on various occasions in the period 1981 to 2020, were chosen and analysed for this article. The research is intended to reveal how various rhetorical figures used by contemporary orators serve as tools for persuasion and emotive argumentation.