4 Eloquentia Perfecta and Rhetorical Listening

Overview

This chapter introduces the Jesuit concept of eloquentia perfecta, which emphasizes ethical, effective, and responsible communication.

It also explores the importance of listening as a foundational rhetorical skill. Students will learn how to integrate eloquence with critical listening to engage in meaningful dialogue, build mutual understanding, and foster ethical persuasion in diverse contexts.

Eloquentia Perfecta

Eloquentia perfecta! It can sound intimidating, but these Latin words probably don’t mean what you think they mean. At a glance, you might think it means “perfect eloquence,” as in, “The goal of learning rhetoric at USF is to learn to write or speak perfectly.” This is not the case! “To perfect” something originally meant “to accomplish, finish, [or] complete” a goal, aligning more with the Greek term telos, which today is closely translated as complete and not the loaded term perfect (Oxford English Dictionary 2130). Moreover, when Aristotle — Greek philosopher and student of Plato — describes telos, he includes the notion of “purpose,” indicating that all things and beings, especially humans, should both have a purpose and be able to realize that purpose (“Aristotle: Politics”). In short, perfecta is more about having intention and integrity in all that you do.

Eloquentia, meaning eloquence, is more straightforward: “The action, practice, or art of expressing thought with fluency, force, and appropriateness, so as to appeal to the reason or move the feelings” (Oxford English Dictionary 846). In short, the phrase eloquentia perfecta does not have to be as intimidating as it sounds. The Jesuits even made eloquentia perfecta the cornerstone of their education, dating back to 1599. A Jesuit and Dean at Fordham University, Rev. Robert R. Grimes, S.J., describes it as “right reason expressed effectively, responsibly and gracefully” (Walsh). While these may sound like lofty goals, you will practice them in your Rhetoric classes at USF.

To do this, we will work hard to become not only better writers and speakers, but also better readers and listeners. Oftentimes, it’s easier for students and teachers to focus on the more concrete outcomes of writing and speaking well; however, honing our reading and listening abilities is also essential. During the semester, we will become more proficient in all of these skills by using what Dr. Cinthia Gannett — retired Director of Core Writing at the Jesuit Fairfield University — refers to as the three facets of eloquentia perfecta in the Jesuit tradition:

Knowledge

The first includes forming our minds and morals, as well as learning about a range of subjects and cultures. You will achieve this by discussing assigned readings and topics in addition to your own interests and those of your peers.

Application

The second element invites us to use this knowledge, making it public with the goal of social justice, sharing our perspectives with each other and broader audiences “in service of the common good” (“Cinthia Gannett Visit and Resources”). We will accomplish this in several ways — through formal projects, homework assignments, and class activities.

Reflection

Lastly, we will reflect on the degree to which we have reached and can further realize the goal of eloquentia perfecta: “the classical ideal of the good person writing and speaking well for the public good” (“Rhetorical Arts”).

Practicing eloquentia perfecta reflects USF’s core value of cura personalis, “care of the whole person.” In short, our goal here is to communicate well by bringing the skills we learn in this class into our other classes and into our lives, both private and public (“Our Values”).

Eloquentia Perfecta in Action

That all seems pretty abstract, so let’s go over a few examples of what eloquentia perfecta might look like in practice in this class.

Classroom Dialogue

During a discussion about abortion, a student listens carefully to opposing viewpoints, asks clarifying questions to ensure understanding, and then shares their perspective in a respectful way. They connect their argument to credible evidence while emphasizing the importance of collective action for the public good.

Community Engagement Project

A group of students creates a multimedia presentation to advocate for food justice in their community. They research local issues, collaborate with stakeholders, and present their findings at a town hall meeting. Their message is clear and empathetic, aiming to inspire actionable change while respecting diverse perspectives.

Reflection Essay

After completing a research project on access to education, a student writes a reflective essay discussing how their views have evolved in the process. They acknowledge the importance of considering multiple perspectives, their responsibility to communicate ethically, and how they will apply these lessons to future academic and personal endeavors.

Rhetorical Listening

The section above on eloquentia perfecta emphasized that, as much as we want to speak and write effectively, for successful communication to happen, there also has to be listening. How do we listen in a way that’s both ethical and effective? How do we “tune in” to different aspects of a message? For example, what listening techniques can we use to better imagine the world from the speaker’s perspective? To evaluate their evidence? To determine whether or not we should change our actions or attitudes in response to their arguments?

To think more about these questions, please watch the following video. As you do so, please take notes on key concepts and practices.

• What “listening positions” do you want to occupy as you engage with classmates in dialogue or watch peers’ speeches?
• What positions do you want your peers to occupy as they engage with you?
• What does “active listening” actually look like?
• Does “active listening” look different when you’re listening to an online speech or discussion versus an in-person one?

Answering these questions is essential because you’ll be utilizing your listening skills throughout this course. The goal here is to effectively analyze messages and build a “community of practice” that emphasizes both empathetic and critical listening.

Watch: Julian Treasure’s “5 Ways to Listen Better” (~8 mins)

Barriers to Effective Listening

As Julian Treasure points out in the video above, listening — really listening — is intentional and hard work. There are three common barriers to be conscious of (Mapes).

Noise — internal and external — is the first barrier to listening. We have constant mental distractions in our lives, something that you might not even be aware of if you have always lived in the world of the Internet, cell phones, iPods, tablets, and 24/7 news channels. We are dependent on and constantly connected to the Internet. With constant distractions from the world around us and our devices, focus is difficult. Whether it’s news about an ill family member, a big exam next period, your car in the shop, or deciding on next semester’s classes, there’s always a distraction.

Confirmation bias is a second barrier to listening. This term means “a tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions” (Nickerson). Although the concept has been around for a long time, we are more aware of confirmation bias today than ever before. It leads us to listen to news outlets and Internet sources that confirm what we believe already, rather than being challenged to engage in new ways of thinking by reading or listening to other sources of information. It can cause us to discount, reject, or reinterpret information to fit our preconceptions.

Finally, information processing is the third barrier. Our minds can usually process speech faster than a speaker can produce it. The average person can process about 200 words per minute, but few speakers can communicate clearly at that speed; the average rate for speech is around 100-120 words per minute (Foulke). That extra bandwidth is what makes it possible for our minds to wander while processing speech; we might find it more enjoyable to think of lunch, the new person we’re dating, or our vacation at the beach.

As listeners, we all bring our own unique set of potential distractions to every listening situation. Tuning these distractions out is an essential skill for any communicator, but how can we do that?

Intentional Listening: Practicing RASA

As audience members, barriers prohibit our ability to absorb information that could benefit us — or that can help us connect with new people and new ideas. To address them, try Julian Treasure’s strategy of RASA: Receive, Appreciate, Summarize, and Ask. This technique involves practices that connect the mind and body in the acts of both listening and responding. For a deeper dive into RASA, check out Treasure’s handout summarizing the RASA process [Online PDF].

Test Your Knowledge

Further Reading and Resources

• “What Great Listeners Actually Do” [Website]
• Keys to Communication — “Chapter 5: Listening” [Website]

Works Cited

“Aristotle: Politics.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm.edu/aris-pol/#H5.

Bostrom, Robert N., and Charles L. Bryant. “Factors in the Retention of Information Presented Orally: The Role of Short-Term Listening.” Western Journal of Speech Communication, vol. 44, no. 2, 1980, pp. 137–45.

CAB Public Session, Florida, USA. Photograph, © Reed Kelly / CFPB, Rawpixel, https://www.rawpixel.com/image/6200674/photo-image-public-domain-people-women.

“Cinthia Gannett Visit and Resources.” University of San Francisco: Rhetoric and Language Faculty Website, Fall 2015, usfcarhetoric.com/fall-2015-eloquentia-perfecta-as-an-integrative-anchor-for-jesuit-education/.

Foulke, Emerson. “Listening Comprehension as a Function of Word Rate.” Journal of Communication, vol. 18, no. 3, 1968, pp. 198–206.

Mapes, Meggie. “Centering Audiences.” Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy, University of Kansas Libraries, 26 July 2019, opentext.ku.edu/speakupcallin/chapter/centering-audiences-2/. Accessed 16 July 2025.

Nickerson, Raymond S. “Confirmation Bias: A Ubiquitous Phenomenon in Many Guises.” Review of General Psychology, vol. 2, no. 2, 1998, pp. 175–220.

Oxford English Dictionary: The Compact Edition. Oxford UP, 1971.

“Our Values.” University of San Francisco, www.usfca.edu/who-we-are/reinventing-education/our-mission-and-values.

“Rhetorical Arts.” LMU/LA Center for Teaching Excellence, academics.lmu.edu/corecurriculum/rhetoricalarts/.

Tien, Jason, and Katie Gilmore. Jason Tien and Katie Gilmore talking at regional meet-up. Photograph by Derrick Coetzee, Wikimedia Commons, 2023, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jason_Tien_and_Katie_Gilmore_talking_at_regional_meet-up_at_Wikipedia_in_Higher_Education_Summit.jpg.

Treasure, Julian. “5 Ways to Listen Better.” TEDGlobal, July 2011, TED, www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_5_ways_to_listen_better.

Walker, Jefferson. “Chapter 5: Listening.” Keys to Communication: An Essential Guide to Communication in the Real World, Pressbooks, 2023. https://pressbooks.pub/umcoms101/chapter/chapter-5-listening/.

Walsh, Ray. “Fordham Implements New Programs and Curriculum For Incoming Freshmen.” The Observer, Fordham University, 22 June 2011, www.fordhamobserver.com/changes-in-store-for-class-of-2013/.

Woman writing on a notebook with a pen.jpg. Photograph by Kristin Hardwick, ISO Republic, isorepublic.com/photo/writing-letter-hand/.

Youth Town Hall – Henry M. Jackson Foundation. Photograph by Eric Haynes, Google Images, images.app.goo.gl/eLtmY4oqsHwAWeQy7.

Zenger, Jack, and Joseph Folkman. “What Great Listeners Actually Do.” Harvard Business Review, 2016. https://hbr.org/2016/07/what-great-listeners-actually-do.

Attributions

This chapter was written and remixed by Leigh Meredith.

The “Eloquentia Perfecta” section was adapted from work written by Prof. Nicole Brodsky (former faculty at the University of San Francisco).

The “Barriers to Listening” section was adapted from Chapter 2, Centering Audiences, of Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy  Copyright © 2019 by Meggie Mapes, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.