Rhetorical devices

Direct address

In his TED talk “Could a tattoo help you stay healthy?”, Carson Bruns uses direct address from the beginning: “I’d like to introduce you to an interesting person named Ötzi. (…) You want to see what he looks like today? (…) OK, brace yourselves, gross mummy pic coming at you.” (ll. 1-5). This establishes a connection between Bruns and his audience.

Bruns also tells the audience: “whether you love tattoos or hate them, this talk will change the way you think about them.” (ll. 13-14). Here, Bruns appeals to the audience’s curiosity and draws their attention, as he suggests that his speech will change their perspective. Another example of Bruns speaking directly to the audience is: “Let me show you.” (l. 44). The direct address and...