Abstract:

The appropriateness of a verbal act is an important subject-matter in pragmatic and rhetorical studies, and what is more, many linguisticians have regarded the principle of appropriateness as the supreme principle of rhetoric since the 1990's.Then the question is whether this assertion is scientific or not.Has"the principle of appropriateness"been confronted with any difficulty in its theory and practice?If so, is there any higher principle than"the principle of appropriateness"?A clearer recognition may be acquired by means of defining rhetoric.

Key words: rhetoric, rhetorical principle, principle of appropriateness, principle of effect