Sociolinguistic aspects of the philosophical rhetoric of the cynics

This article focuses on the Cynic strategies of communication and on the problems of interpretation of Cynicism. The author uses Goffman’s theory of self-production, which treats a life as a theatrical performance, and applies some ideas of sociolinguistics and social anthropology to the analysis of Cynicism as a rhetorical practice. The theatricality of Cynical behaviour appears in their careful self-presentation and stylised of their lifestyle, which may be analysed as the exercise of a philosophical rhetoric. The article rests on the assumption that the most significant points of Cynicism are theatricality, use of non-verbal communication and transgressive forms of communication, and preference for such a literary form as chreia. Theatricality can take place in any stylistic register, but the author has concentrated on non-verbal elements in Cynic communication. The author analyses the Cynics’ rhetoric using the modern groundbreaking studies of Donald Lateiner and Robert Branham. The article analyses the Cynic performances, the interactions of Cynics with the public environment, and their use of eating and physical attributes to mark their philosophical position. The author examines Diogen’s use of transgressive non-verbal communication, paying special attention to his conscious use of the body for philosophical purposes. The analysis demonstrates that bodily processes are used as forms of symbolic action, while non-verbal media are designed to strengthen the effect of verbal language.