Vrstvení apelativních složek jako přesvědčovací strategie v závěrečných oddílech českých a anglických kázání

While persuasion seems to be present virtually in all texts across cultures, times and registers, in many ways it is primarily religious discourse that adopts persuasion as one of its key instruments to convince the audience of the veracity of the doctrine it presents. The present paper explores Czech and English scripted sermons, particularly their closing passages, in respect of the persuasive strategies employed. The main emphasis is placed on how preachers combine the three components of Aristotelian appeal and how such layering may enhance persuasion. The corpus-based analysis shows that the sophisticated structure of the closing passages of the sermons is capable of creating the desired persuasive effect, presenting the doctrine (logos), building the preacher’s credibility and authority (ethos) as well as evoking emotions (pathos). Such an intricate interplay of the Aristotelian components thus leads the audience to the desired understanding and to a more effective reception of the truth presented, and, ultimately, to persuasion. It follows that unlike the rather rigid persuasive structure of Czech sermon closings (viz. L-E-P), English closing passages exhibit a much greater diversity.