Debate Terminology

Words every debater needs to know!

AFFIRMATIVE

• RELATIVES: Affirm, affable, affably, affirmance

• WORD PARTS: Affirm ative

• DEFINITION: SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF A MOTION OR SUBJECT OF

DEBATE

• EXAMPLES: “The AFFIRMATIVE gives the first speech in a debate.” “I prefer going AFFIRMATIVE on the death penalty topic.”

Some debate formats call this “PRO.”

NEGATIVE

• RELATIVES: Negate, negation, negatively

• WORD PARTS: Negat -ive

• DEFINITION: To reject; to speak against the resolution or motion

• EXAMPLES: “The NEGATIVE team won today’s debate.” “I gave a NEGATIVE answer to his question.”

Some debate formats call this “CON.”

RESOLUTION

• RELATIVES: Resolve, resolved, resolute

• WORD PARTS: resol -ution

• DEFINITION: The formal topic for debate.

• EXAMPLES: “What is the RESOLUTION for today’s debate?” “The United Nations passed a RESOLUTION recognizing the new government of

Liberia.”

CONTENTION

• RELATIVES: Contend

• DEFINITION: A main argument or claim in a debate case.

• EXAMPLES: “My last contention in my case is my strongest argument.” “How many contentions should a Public Forum case include?

CONSTRUCTIVE

• RELATIVES: Construct, construction, constructor, constructiveness

• WORD PARTS: Con -struct -ive

• DEFINITION: Opening speeches of a debate; when new arguments are

built.

• EXAMPLES: “I am busy preparing my CONSTRUCTIVE arguments.” “Who will be delivering the negative CONSTRUCTIVE speech?”

REBUTTAL

• RELATIVES: Rebut, rebutting, rebuttable, rebutted

• WORD PARTS: Re -but -tal

• DEFINITION: Refutation of an argument; speeches where opponent’s

arguments are attacked

• EXAMPLES: “I have a good REBUTTAL for that argument!” “Dustin will delivery the negative REBUTTAL speech.”

FLOWSHEET

• SYNONYMS: Notes, flow, template

• WORD PARTS: -flow -sheet

• DEFINITION: Notes taken during a debate that track the arguments, and

the attacks made against the arguments.

• EXAMPLES: “Can I see your FLOWSHEET of this debate?” “I think we lost because we didn’t follow the FLOW during our rebuttals.”

(Also just called a “flow.”

CROSS EXAMINATION

• SYNONYMS: Crossfire, questioning period, C-X

• WORD PARTS: cross -exam -ination

• DEFINITION: Examination of a witness; period of direct questioning

during a debate.

• EXAMPLES: “CROSS-EX is my favorite part of the debate.” “A good debater uses CROSS-EX questions to challenge the opponent’s

arguments.”

EVIDENCE

• RELATIVES: Evident, evidently, eviential

• SYNONYMS Proof, testimony, data

• DEFINITION: Statements of fact or opinion offered as support of an

argument or claim.

• EXAMPLES: “I need to find some EVIDENCE for my case.” “Okay, you say this is true, but where is your EVIDENCE?”

CLASH

• SYNONYMS: collide, strike, conflict

• DEFINITION: The direct opposition between the affirmative and negative

cases. Clash is created by narrowing the debate down to the essential

issues.

• EXAMPLES: “I’m not seeing the CLASH in this debate.” “Judge, here is where my argument CLASHES with my opponent’s.”