Final answer:
A speaker who demonstrates ethical, honest, and dependable behavior conveys ethos, which establishes credibility and trustworthiness with their audience by demonstrating moral purpose and knowledge on the subject.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a speaker demonstrates ethical, honest, and dependable behavior, they convey a strong sense of ethos. Ethos is a rhetorical appeal to ethics, which helps establish the speaker's credibility with their audience. It is essential to build trust so that the audience feels confident in the speaker's words. Ethos touches upon the speaker's character and their qualifications on the topic being discussed.
Characteristics such as credibility, trustworthiness, and a demonstrated moral purpose strengthen the persuasive power of the speaker. Moreover, this can be enhanced through tone and language choices that reflect fairness and a keen awareness of the rhetorical situation.
By illustrating commitment and knowledge, such as referencing personal research or relevant experience, the speaker reinforces their credibility and ethical appeal.