Opinion and Argument - Argumentation and Persuasion

Here you will learn some English words related to argumentation and persuasion such as "pitch", "keystone", and "invoke".

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to generalize [verb]

to form a broad conclusion or principle by considering specific instances

Ex: Teachers often generalize patterns from student responses .

given that [conjunction]

used to express that one is considering a particular fact before sharing one's opinion or making a judgment

Ex: Given that she has extensive experience in marketing , she was the top candidate for the job .

hair-splitting [noun]

‌the act of making petty distinctions or arguing about insignificant details and differences

hearing [noun]

an occasion or opportunity to present one's views and be listened to

Ex: The manager gave him a hearing despite the short notice .

high ground [noun]

the most advantageous position in an argument or discussion that grants one moral or ethical superiority

to [hold] water [phrase]

(of an argument, theory, etc.) to be believable or supported by evidence

Ex: The proposal seems promising , but we need to see if it holds water in practice .

in effect [adverb]

used to indicate that a rule or law is being operated

in the first place [adverb]

used to explain the main reason or starting point of a situation

Ex: In the first place , the data is flawed , which invalidates the entire study .

to invalidate [verb]

to prove that something is incorrect or flawed, making it not acceptable or reliable

Ex: The flaws in the logic invalidated the entire theory .

invalidation [noun]

the act of making or proving a belief, idea, argument, etc. wrong

to invoke [verb]

to mention someone or something of prominence as a support or reason for an argument or action

Ex: He often invokes the authority of scientific research to support his claims .

keystone [noun]

a central element or factor that provides essential support or cohesion to a system or concept

Ex: Education serves as the keystone of societal development .

to [labor] the point [phrase]

to describe or stress something excessively when it is already understood

to lay out [verb]

to explain something clearly and in detail

Ex: The teacher laid out the lesson plan to the students , explaining what they would be learning and how they would be assessed .

pitch [noun]

a presentation or argument intended to persuade or promote a product, idea, or service

Ex: The team practices their marketing pitch .

to [play] {one's} ace [phrase]

‌to use one's best resource and do something clever and unexpected that gives one an advantage over others

to plead [verb]

to state something as an excuse

Ex: The accused pleaded insanity , claiming that he was not mentally competent to understand the consequences of his actions .

point [noun]

the most important thing that is said or done which highlights the purpose of something

Ex: The key point of the presentation was to emphasize the company 's growth strategy .

to point [verb]

to suggest that something is probable or certain

Ex:

polemic [noun]

a speech or piece of writing that strongly criticizes someone or something

Ex:

polemics [noun]

the art of arguing for or against someone or something, such as a particular idea or opinion

polemical [adjective]

of or relating to strong arguments meant to criticize or defend a particular opinion, person, idea, etc.

to posit [verb]

to propose or assume something as true or factual, serving as the foundation for further reasoning or argumentation

Ex: The physicist posited the existence of parallel universes to explain certain phenomena observed in quantum mechanics .

premise [noun]

a theory or statement that acts as the foundation of an argument

Ex: The film 's plot relies on the premise that time travel is possible and can alter past events .

to [press|hammer] {sth} home [phrase]

to forcefully make a point in an argument or discussion to ensure that there are no misunderstandings

Ex:

presupposition [noun]

something that one perceives to be true, even though it remains to be proved, especially at the beginning of an argument

Ex: The philosopher 's theory starts with the presupposition of human rationality .

prong [noun]

each separate part of an argument, plan, etc.

proof [noun]

the act or process of testing or verifying the truth of something through evidence or argument

Ex: Historical proof can be difficult to establish .

to prove [verb]

to show that something is true through the use of evidence or facts

Ex: The forensic analysis proved the suspect 's innocence .

to [put] it to {sb} [phrase]

to introduce a plan or suggestion to a group of individuals so that they decide whether to accept it or not

Ex: It's an interesting proposal. I'll put it to the board of directors next week.

Opinion and Argument
Voicing Opinions	Expressive Discourse	Perspectives in Discussion	Views and Discourse
Expressing Views	Opinion Formation and Expression	Opinions and Beliefs	Perspectives and Mindsets
Making an Argument	Argumentation and Persuasion	Argument and Reasoning