Responding Appropriately to Different Audiences and Rhetorical Situations

         When Ms. Rachel Jeantel took the stand in the nationaly televised and internationally criticized trial of accused murderer George Zimmerman, she was not expecting to be instantly thrust into the public spotlight; mocked, ridiculed, or interviewed on some of the hottest news shows in the world. Was it a breath-taking testimony that ignited a momentum change in the courtroom which made her so famous (or infamous)? Was it her endearing narrative of her relationship to Trayvon Martin and the tears that flowed from the jurors eyes? No. It was her syntax. It was her diction. And it was her tone. Ms. Rachel Jeantel was criticized for the appropriateness of her means in relaying a message to the jurors. It is important to respond appropriately to different audiences and rhetorical situations.
         "Appropriate" is an interesting word. While my decision on what is "appropriate" may be as simple as choosing the double cheeseburger over the quadruple deluxe burger at McDonald`s, my decision on appropriate syntax for a given occasion can be incredibly daunting. For a doctoral thesis paper, it would make sense to include complicated, longer sentences for the purpose of including more detail and deeper thinking. We would call this "formal." But would we really employ this same tactic for say, an interview, even if it were a "formal" interview? Of course not. The interviewers want to hear from a human. Appropriate response, as far as syntax goes, will get you hired, earn you a doctorate degree, and perhaps even win a court case for you (or just save you from public ridicule).
         The structure of a sentence isn`t the only important aspect to consider when attempting to communicate appropriately. Appropriate diction is vital to communication, especially now, when words are changing, shortening, or becoming extinct altogether. We could misunderstand, misrepresent, and even be offended by a speaker who uses inappropriate diction. An audience who has not been in church as long as I have will not understand me when I mention things like "repentance," "communion," or "sanctification." Any message intended by me will be lost in the diction chasm between us. If society payed no attention to appropriateness in diction, the East would never understand the West, the North would never understand the South, the old would never understand the young, the skater punks would never understand the jocks, the nerds would never understand the popular kids, blacks would never understand whites; the audience would never understand the speaker. Rhetoric would collapse.
        We`ve all been reprimanded by our mothers: "Don`t talk back to me!" "Lose that tone right now!" Tone is important in communication. An inappropriate tone can be devastating to the speaker, but an appropriate one can move mountains.  Many coaches have been criticized for their "inappropriate tone" when dealing with players. Nine times out of ten, the coach claims that his players perform at an optimal level after being constructively screamed at. Learning to use appropriate tone is simple, but can be difficult. Does your attitude towards the subject achieve your purpose? My high school basketball coach was a master at carrying appropriate tone. His polite tone towards the referee`s good calls perfectly achieved his purpose- to get on the referee`s "good side."But, his furious and scornful tone also perfectly achieved his purpose- to let the ref know that there was animosity in the air, and the ref was not Coach`s best friend anymore. Tone is the kind of thing that will get you slapped if inappropriately employed. Just remember- before you speak, check your tone.
        While syntax, diction, and tone are only three of the many rhetorical aspects that must be appropriate for different audiences and situations, they are the most important. Syntax can win or lose a job, diction-a client, and tone-a friend. So, always keep in mind the appropriateness of your rhetoric.