Comments on the four sections to be played at the upcoming national tournament in Wheeling, WV.
Section A
Prejudice vs Tabloid Thinking
Prejudice: Action for/against the object of the prejudice is advocated.
Tabloid Thinking: A group is stereotyped but no action is proposed.
Section B
Ambiguity vs Shift of Meaning
Ambiguity: The example uses a word or phrase once but with multiple meanings. Often this technique is used intentionally in an ad to be clever.
Shift of Meaning: The speaker uses a word (or a derivative of that word) twice with different meanings. Junior/Senior players should note that, in a visual, the picture counts as conveying one of the meanings.
Section C
Degrees and Titles vs Status
Degrees and Titles: “Title” must be a “true title,” not an opinion. So “Most Valuable Player” or “Grammy Award Winner” are true titles, but “basketball legend” and “greatest rap artist” are not. If a true title is used in the example, the answer is Degrees and Titles even if the person is famous enough to be recognized without the title.
Status: A famous person is used to sell something to promote a cause without giving a title. “President Obama” makes it Degrees and Titles. “Barack Obama” would be Status.In all cases, if the title or the person’s experience is relevant to what is being advocated, the answer is No Technique.
Section F
Diversion vs Disproving a Minor Point
Diversion: I respond to what you say, which is not something I want to deal with, by turning the conversation in a different direction and making you forget about what you said in the first place.
Disproving a Minor Point: You give multiple reasons why something is true or some action should be taken. I knock out or just dismiss one of your reasons and claim I have destroyed your entire argument.