We explain what eloquence is, its usefulness, the origin of the term and its history. Also, how is an eloquent person.
What is eloquence?
Eloquence is the talent for spoken persuasion and expression in public, that is, is the talent to communicate gracefully, convincingly and effectively, either through oral or written language.
People with this ability are called eloquent (for example: “I like eloquent speakers”); Whereas by saying that a fact or an object is eloquent, we are figuratively affirming that it has a lot of meaning or that it is revealing with respect to a specific context (for example: “a very eloquent silence”).
Eloquence is a highly valued ability in certain arts and disciplines, such as literature, public speaking, politics or social communication, since those who possess it are capable of arousing emotions and attracting attention of those who read or listen to them, which at the outset gives them an advantage when it comes to convincing others of their point of view.
This assessment dates from classical antiquity, when in Ancient Greece it was considered as the highest form of politics, and its arts were tutored by the muse Calliope, the same one of epic poetry (that is, of literature). She is often depicted as a female figure crowned with pearls and laurels, with a scepter in one hand and an open book in the other.
For its part, the word eloquence comes from Latin eloquentia, formed by the voices former (“outside”), crazy (“To speak”) and the suffix –entia (indicating agency or quality). This can be understood as that eloquent people can reach the outside with their words, that is, they know how to speak “to reach others.” Eloquence is a word related to others such as announcer, loquacious or speech, all related to the act of speaking.