Topik bei argumentierenden Kindern? – Empirische Tragfähigkeit eines rhetorischen Konzepts

Abstract

Traditional topoi used by kindergartners? – Empirical value of a rhetoric concept

Whereas we can regard it as a well-known fact in research that already kindergartners are able to justify their statements, not only language acquisition research might be surprised by the observation that they build their arguments supported in a sophisticated way on traditional topoi of classical rhetoric. This paper analyzes argumentative peer talk of preschoolers with the aim to reconstruct the topoi used and to design on this basis a topos inventory for the age group capturing the creativity and complexity of the arguments. The analysis represents a synthesis of conversation and argumentation analysis.