The Power of Three
On About.com: Grammar &
Composition, Richard Nordquist writes about Barack Obama’s uncanny
ability to stir a crowd. A large chunk of
his article is devoted to a technique called a
tricolon – that is, a series of three parallel
words, phrases, or clauses. Here are some
examples:
It’s a powerful oratorical technique, and, when coupled with repetition and alliteration, the power of three strengthens any argument. It’s a style of speaking that is reminiscent of a pulpit. Think “faith, hope, and love,” “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” “the things we touched, saw, and heard,” etc. How many good sermons follow a three point structure?
Until recently, I didn’t know an official name for this kind of rhetoric. I’ve just affectionally called it The Rule of Three. While tripods are not the steadiest of structures, a speech centered around the number three can be extremely successful at an emotional level, making your message all the more memorable to your audience.
- "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
- "…Government of the people, by the people, for the people." -Abraham Lincoln
- "We cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow…" -Abraham Lincoln
- "I came; I saw; I conquered." -Julius Ceasar
You might notice that Abraham Lincoln got two mentions above. The tricolon is a repeated theme in Lincoln’s rhetoric, and I don’t think it’s any accident that Senator Obama is emulating his style. Mr. Nordquist writes:
…Rhetoric is an ancient art and a fairly consequential skill. Thomas Jefferson knew how to use words. So did Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. As it happened, echoes of the words of all four men could be heard in Tuesday night's speech.
It’s a powerful oratorical technique, and, when coupled with repetition and alliteration, the power of three strengthens any argument. It’s a style of speaking that is reminiscent of a pulpit. Think “faith, hope, and love,” “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” “the things we touched, saw, and heard,” etc. How many good sermons follow a three point structure?
Until recently, I didn’t know an official name for this kind of rhetoric. I’ve just affectionally called it The Rule of Three. While tripods are not the steadiest of structures, a speech centered around the number three can be extremely successful at an emotional level, making your message all the more memorable to your audience.