Debate Dictionary
Different activities often have their own set of frequently used words that describe certain actions or concepts. For example, in baseball, there is a such thing as a "backdoor breaking ball." In ballet, there is a such thing as "pancaking" their shoes. I still have no idea what these phrases mean in the baseball or ballet world, as I do not play baseball, nor do I dance.
Like baseball and ballet, debate has its own unique vocabulary, which can often be extremely overwhelming (even after years of experience!). Unfortunately, while you may be able to Google baseball slang and ballet terminology, debate vocabulary can be a bit more obscure. If you don't know what a word means, fret not, because I can guarantee you that somewhere out there, there is at least one person who is just as clueless as you. And that's perfectly okay! That's why this page exists.
Wondering what a word or phrase means? Just CTRL+F and type in the word. If it hasn't been included here or you find the definition to be unclear, feel free to fill out this contact form, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Like baseball and ballet, debate has its own unique vocabulary, which can often be extremely overwhelming (even after years of experience!). Unfortunately, while you may be able to Google baseball slang and ballet terminology, debate vocabulary can be a bit more obscure. If you don't know what a word means, fret not, because I can guarantee you that somewhere out there, there is at least one person who is just as clueless as you. And that's perfectly okay! That's why this page exists.
Wondering what a word or phrase means? Just CTRL+F and type in the word. If it hasn't been included here or you find the definition to be unclear, feel free to fill out this contact form, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
A
Abuse
Any action in round that gives one team a strategic advantage over its opposing team; abuse can be called out by reading theory
Actor Counterplan
Specific type of counterplan in which another agent, government or entity adopts and endorses the same course of action proposed by the affirmative (ex. Instead of having the United States do the plan, let's propose that China do it instead.)
Advantage
A reason why the affirmative's plan is a good idea or how the plan prevents something bad from happening; affirmative cases typically involve 2-3 advantages
Affirmative (Case)
A set of arguments that explain why and how one can affirm, or agree with, the resolution, traditionally through the presentation of a plan and advantages to doing the plan
Affirmative (Team)
The team that stands in affirmation, or agrees with, the resolution; traditionally, the affirmative has the burden of presenting a possible plan put in place by the United States federal government that supports the resolution
AT or A2
Abbreviation for "Answer To," indicates that the following piece of evidence or argument
Any action in round that gives one team a strategic advantage over its opposing team; abuse can be called out by reading theory
Actor Counterplan
Specific type of counterplan in which another agent, government or entity adopts and endorses the same course of action proposed by the affirmative (ex. Instead of having the United States do the plan, let's propose that China do it instead.)
Advantage
A reason why the affirmative's plan is a good idea or how the plan prevents something bad from happening; affirmative cases typically involve 2-3 advantages
Affirmative (Case)
A set of arguments that explain why and how one can affirm, or agree with, the resolution, traditionally through the presentation of a plan and advantages to doing the plan
Affirmative (Team)
The team that stands in affirmation, or agrees with, the resolution; traditionally, the affirmative has the burden of presenting a possible plan put in place by the United States federal government that supports the resolution
AT or A2
Abbreviation for "Answer To," indicates that the following piece of evidence or argument
B
Bid
A competitive title awarded to debaters after reaching a specific break round determined by the tournament; for policy debate, two bids are needed to qualify for the Tournament of Champions held annually on the last week of April at University of Kentucky
Break (Rounds)
Rounds following preliminary rounds in which teams are eliminated until there is a champion in each round or until a school closes out the tournament (all competing teams saved from elimination are from the same school and are therefore ineligible to debate each other)
A competitive title awarded to debaters after reaching a specific break round determined by the tournament; for policy debate, two bids are needed to qualify for the Tournament of Champions held annually on the last week of April at University of Kentucky
Break (Rounds)
Rounds following preliminary rounds in which teams are eliminated until there is a champion in each round or until a school closes out the tournament (all competing teams saved from elimination are from the same school and are therefore ineligible to debate each other)
C
Capitalism
Economic system of free trade based on lasseiz-faire economics; basic principles are outlined in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations
Card
Format of a piece of evidence in policy debate, usually containing a tag, a source, and a body of text that is underlined and highlighted
Close Out
When all of the teams in a break round are from the same school and are thus ineligible to debate one another
Con
The team arguing against the resolution in a public forum debate round, equivalent to "neg" in policy debate
Conditionality
An advocacy status that allows the negative team to kick out of off-case positions at any time throughout the course of the round
Contention
A reason to support or negate the resolution; contentions are the foundation of public forum cases and are the main arguments in each side's first constructive speech, featuring about two or three contentions per case (equivalent to advantage in policy debate)
Constructive (speech)
Beginning speeches in a debate that allow debaters to introduce and build onto their arguments; in policy debate, the first four speeches are constructive while in public forum, only the first two are constructive
Counter-Interpretation
An interpretation meant to challenge one introduced into the round by your opponent
Counterplan
An alternative course of action to the plan introduced by the negative team, commonly accompanied by a disadvantage
Cross-Examination (policy debate)
A period of time during the debate when opponents are allowed to ask each other questions about each other's cases
Cross-Fire (public forum debate)
A period of time during the debate when opponents are allowed to ask each other questions about each other's cases
Economic system of free trade based on lasseiz-faire economics; basic principles are outlined in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations
Card
Format of a piece of evidence in policy debate, usually containing a tag, a source, and a body of text that is underlined and highlighted
Close Out
When all of the teams in a break round are from the same school and are thus ineligible to debate one another
Con
The team arguing against the resolution in a public forum debate round, equivalent to "neg" in policy debate
Conditionality
An advocacy status that allows the negative team to kick out of off-case positions at any time throughout the course of the round
Contention
A reason to support or negate the resolution; contentions are the foundation of public forum cases and are the main arguments in each side's first constructive speech, featuring about two or three contentions per case (equivalent to advantage in policy debate)
Constructive (speech)
Beginning speeches in a debate that allow debaters to introduce and build onto their arguments; in policy debate, the first four speeches are constructive while in public forum, only the first two are constructive
Counter-Interpretation
An interpretation meant to challenge one introduced into the round by your opponent
Counterplan
An alternative course of action to the plan introduced by the negative team, commonly accompanied by a disadvantage
Cross-Examination (policy debate)
A period of time during the debate when opponents are allowed to ask each other questions about each other's cases
Cross-Fire (public forum debate)
A period of time during the debate when opponents are allowed to ask each other questions about each other's cases
D
Drop
An argument is "dropped" when a debater doesn't answer or mention an argument brought up in the round. A judge "drops" a team by not voting from them in a round
An argument is "dropped" when a debater doesn't answer or mention an argument brought up in the round. A judge "drops" a team by not voting from them in a round
E
Existential (Impact)
An impact of or relating to existence (ex. nuclear war, global warming, extinction); distinct from systemic impacts
An impact of or relating to existence (ex. nuclear war, global warming, extinction); distinct from systemic impacts
F
Flash
Noun: Flash-drive
Verb: To give someone a flash-drive so they can access a copy of your case
Framework
Argument that the judge should evaluate the round in a certain way (ex. "Vote for the team that has more advantages than disadvantages," or "Vote for the team that can catch more Pokemon on campus.")
Noun: Flash-drive
Verb: To give someone a flash-drive so they can access a copy of your case
Framework
Argument that the judge should evaluate the round in a certain way (ex. "Vote for the team that has more advantages than disadvantages," or "Vote for the team that can catch more Pokemon on campus.")
G
H
Harms
Negative things that will happen if the plan is not put into action
Hegemon
An entity possessing hegemony; an influential dominant group/state/power/organization/etc.
Hegemony
Influence or control over another country or group, having authority over others
Negative things that will happen if the plan is not put into action
Hegemon
An entity possessing hegemony; an influential dominant group/state/power/organization/etc.
Hegemony
Influence or control over another country or group, having authority over others
I
Impact
A bad thing that happens from doing or not doing the plan
Inherency
Something bad that is happening in the status quo that the plan solves for
Interpretation
A perspective of how the round should be debated or how the resolution should be seen as; common in theory and topicality debates, interpretations generally outline what the other team is allowed to do or defines a specific word or phrase in the resolution
Intersectionality
The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage
A bad thing that happens from doing or not doing the plan
Inherency
Something bad that is happening in the status quo that the plan solves for
Interpretation
A perspective of how the round should be debated or how the resolution should be seen as; common in theory and topicality debates, interpretations generally outline what the other team is allowed to do or defines a specific word or phrase in the resolution
Intersectionality
The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage
J
K
Kick Out
To strategically concede an argument to the other team to make time for a better, stronger argument that can win the round
Kritik
A philosophical argument that challenges a mindset or assumption made by the opposing team
To strategically concede an argument to the other team to make time for a better, stronger argument that can win the round
Kritik
A philosophical argument that challenges a mindset or assumption made by the opposing team
L
Lay Judge
A judge with little to no experience judging a debate event
Limits
Typical standard in topicality debates arguing that debates need to be limited in order to fully debate and discuss the resolution at hand
Link
Evidence or statement pointing out what specifically is wrong with a case (leading to the triggering of an impact)
A judge with little to no experience judging a debate event
Limits
Typical standard in topicality debates arguing that debates need to be limited in order to fully debate and discuss the resolution at hand
Link
Evidence or statement pointing out what specifically is wrong with a case (leading to the triggering of an impact)
M
Magnitude
The great size or extent of something; typically used to describe impacts when using impact calculus
Meet
Fitting or achieving the standards and guidelines established by your opponent
The great size or extent of something; typically used to describe impacts when using impact calculus
Meet
Fitting or achieving the standards and guidelines established by your opponent
N
Negative (Case)
A set of arguments that explain why and how one can negate, or disagree with, the resolution, traditionally through the presentation of disadvantages and counterplans (though, on occasion, the case may include kritiks and theoretical objections)
Negative (Team)
The team that standards in negation, or disagrees with, the resolution; traditionally, the affirmative has the burden of presenting reasons why the plan proposed by the affirmative is a bad idea
Neg Block
The point in a policy debate where the negative side has two speeches in a row (the second negative constructive and the first negative rebuttal)
Net Benefit
The positive overall outcome of a situation when taking in account all of its advantages and disadvantages, or the extra benefit that one side solves over the other (ex. the negative's counterplan may solve for everything the affirmative does, PLUS world hunger)
Non-Unique
Not the only cause (ex. Pepper may cause sneezing, but if someone already has allergies, they would sneeze whether or not the pepper is there.)
A set of arguments that explain why and how one can negate, or disagree with, the resolution, traditionally through the presentation of disadvantages and counterplans (though, on occasion, the case may include kritiks and theoretical objections)
Negative (Team)
The team that standards in negation, or disagrees with, the resolution; traditionally, the affirmative has the burden of presenting reasons why the plan proposed by the affirmative is a bad idea
Neg Block
The point in a policy debate where the negative side has two speeches in a row (the second negative constructive and the first negative rebuttal)
Net Benefit
The positive overall outcome of a situation when taking in account all of its advantages and disadvantages, or the extra benefit that one side solves over the other (ex. the negative's counterplan may solve for everything the affirmative does, PLUS world hunger)
Non-Unique
Not the only cause (ex. Pepper may cause sneezing, but if someone already has allergies, they would sneeze whether or not the pepper is there.)
O
Off-Case
Arguments that do not directly address the contentions in the affirmative case but are still independent reasons why the case is a bad idea and/or to vote against the affirmative team; includes topicality, kritiks, disadvantages and counterplans
Offense
Arguments that attack your opponent (as opposed to protecting your case from your opponents' attacks)
On-Case
Arguments that directly address the contentions in the affirmative case
Outweigh
For a consequence or impact to be greater in magnitude or importance than another consequence or impact
Overlimit
Topicality argument in which a debater accuses one side of offering a definition of a word or interpretation of the resolution that is too specific for a good and fair debate
Arguments that do not directly address the contentions in the affirmative case but are still independent reasons why the case is a bad idea and/or to vote against the affirmative team; includes topicality, kritiks, disadvantages and counterplans
Offense
Arguments that attack your opponent (as opposed to protecting your case from your opponents' attacks)
On-Case
Arguments that directly address the contentions in the affirmative case
Outweigh
For a consequence or impact to be greater in magnitude or importance than another consequence or impact
Overlimit
Topicality argument in which a debater accuses one side of offering a definition of a word or interpretation of the resolution that is too specific for a good and fair debate
P
Paradigm
A judging philosophy; how a judge evaluates the round (ex. One judge may use a traditional policy-making framework, in which the judge votes for the team who has the most viable policy plan, while another judge may vote for the team that has the best speaking skills or the best dance moves.)
Permutation (Perm)
A test of competition; argues that the affirmative's and negative's plans or philosophies can co-exist
Picked Up
To win a round (ex. "We picked up rounds 2 and 3, but round 1 didn't go too well.")
Plan
The policy proposal posed by the affirmative team
Postings
The listing of who is going against who for a certain round; also known as pairings
Predictability
A test of validity in an interpretation of the resolution, arguing that a definition must be unsurprising, or predictable, in order for a team to have been substantially prepared to debate the resolution and make for a good debate
Prep
Short for "prepare" -- the time in which one researches before round and prepares speeches before and during round
Prep Time
The time in which one has to prepare a speech during the round
Pre-Requisite
A condition that must be satisfied prior to the occurrence of another event
Pro
The team arguing for the resolution in a public forum debate round, equivalent to "aff" in policy debate
Probability
The likeliness of a certain event happening
"Progressive Debate"
Debate that strays from "traditional debate," often heavily involved with kritikal arguments and speed reading
A judging philosophy; how a judge evaluates the round (ex. One judge may use a traditional policy-making framework, in which the judge votes for the team who has the most viable policy plan, while another judge may vote for the team that has the best speaking skills or the best dance moves.)
Permutation (Perm)
A test of competition; argues that the affirmative's and negative's plans or philosophies can co-exist
Picked Up
To win a round (ex. "We picked up rounds 2 and 3, but round 1 didn't go too well.")
Plan
The policy proposal posed by the affirmative team
Postings
The listing of who is going against who for a certain round; also known as pairings
Predictability
A test of validity in an interpretation of the resolution, arguing that a definition must be unsurprising, or predictable, in order for a team to have been substantially prepared to debate the resolution and make for a good debate
Prep
Short for "prepare" -- the time in which one researches before round and prepares speeches before and during round
Prep Time
The time in which one has to prepare a speech during the round
Pre-Requisite
A condition that must be satisfied prior to the occurrence of another event
Pro
The team arguing for the resolution in a public forum debate round, equivalent to "aff" in policy debate
Probability
The likeliness of a certain event happening
"Progressive Debate"
Debate that strays from "traditional debate," often heavily involved with kritikal arguments and speed reading
Q
R
Rebuttal (speech)
The last four speeches in policy debate in which one spends time refuting arguments that have already been brought up in the constructive speeches
Resolution
The debate topic for which the affirmative team defends and the negative team rejects; given annually in policy debate
Roadmap
A brief introduction before a speech in which a debater specifies the order in which they will address certain arguments
Root Cause
The sole reason why bad things happen (ex. Capitalism is argued to be a possible root cause of discrimination against Blacks, because the slave trade subjugated Blacks for the sake of profit.)
The last four speeches in policy debate in which one spends time refuting arguments that have already been brought up in the constructive speeches
Resolution
The debate topic for which the affirmative team defends and the negative team rejects; given annually in policy debate
Roadmap
A brief introduction before a speech in which a debater specifies the order in which they will address certain arguments
Root Cause
The sole reason why bad things happen (ex. Capitalism is argued to be a possible root cause of discrimination against Blacks, because the slave trade subjugated Blacks for the sake of profit.)
S
Severance
A type of perm in which the entirety of one advocacy can co-exist with only part of another advocacy; this type of perm may be argued to be unfair in a theory debate
Standards
Qualities that make for a fair debate, such as "predictability" and "limits," found in topicality and theory arguments
Solvency
Evidence proving that a team's policy proposal, or plan, can actually solve for the harms identified by the team in their contentions
Strike
When filling out judge preferences, a strike occurs when a debater does not want to be judged by a certain person under any circumstance, or when a judge does not want to judge a certain debater under any circumstance; often used to prevent bias by ensuring that judges that represent a school do not judge debaters from that same school
Speaker Points
Points awarded by judges based on how well a speaker presents in the round on a scale from 0-30 (However, more often than not, most judges don't stoop below a 25 unless a debater says something problematic or offensive.)
Spread
Short for "speed read" -- speaking really, really quickly as a means to cram in as much information as possible
A type of perm in which the entirety of one advocacy can co-exist with only part of another advocacy; this type of perm may be argued to be unfair in a theory debate
Standards
Qualities that make for a fair debate, such as "predictability" and "limits," found in topicality and theory arguments
Solvency
Evidence proving that a team's policy proposal, or plan, can actually solve for the harms identified by the team in their contentions
Strike
When filling out judge preferences, a strike occurs when a debater does not want to be judged by a certain person under any circumstance, or when a judge does not want to judge a certain debater under any circumstance; often used to prevent bias by ensuring that judges that represent a school do not judge debaters from that same school
Speaker Points
Points awarded by judges based on how well a speaker presents in the round on a scale from 0-30 (However, more often than not, most judges don't stoop below a 25 unless a debater says something problematic or offensive.)
Spread
Short for "speed read" -- speaking really, really quickly as a means to cram in as much information as possible
T
Tag Team
When both debaters on each team are able to ask and answer questions during cross-examination
Theory
Arguments that frame how debate is "supposed" to be
Timeframe
How long it will take for something to happen (for the plan to become effective, for an impact to occur, etc.)
Timeframe Counterplan
A counterplan that does little or nothing more than change the date that the affirmative's plan is enacted
Topicality
A theory argument over the interpretation of the resolution, often surrounding the definition of a word or phrase in the resolution
Tournament of Champions
The most prestigious national debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky; in order to qualify, a team must receive two bids from other national tournaments by achieving certain elimination rounds
"Traditional Debate"
Opposite of "progressive debate," often shying away from kritikal arguments and speed reading and instead, usually focusing on real-world presentation skills and limiting argumentative discussions to policymaking
When both debaters on each team are able to ask and answer questions during cross-examination
Theory
Arguments that frame how debate is "supposed" to be
Timeframe
How long it will take for something to happen (for the plan to become effective, for an impact to occur, etc.)
Timeframe Counterplan
A counterplan that does little or nothing more than change the date that the affirmative's plan is enacted
Topicality
A theory argument over the interpretation of the resolution, often surrounding the definition of a word or phrase in the resolution
Tournament of Champions
The most prestigious national debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky; in order to qualify, a team must receive two bids from other national tournaments by achieving certain elimination rounds
"Traditional Debate"
Opposite of "progressive debate," often shying away from kritikal arguments and speed reading and instead, usually focusing on real-world presentation skills and limiting argumentative discussions to policymaking
U
USB (Plug)
Device that carries digital files, or speeches
USFG
Short for the United States Federal Government, often described as including the three branches of government: the executive, judicial and legislative branches
Device that carries digital files, or speeches
USFG
Short for the United States Federal Government, often described as including the three branches of government: the executive, judicial and legislative branches
V
Verbatim
An extension of Word that helps debaters cut cards and write speeches more efficiently
Violation
An action taken by a team that does not satisfy the interpretation of the other team (ex. If the neg defines the word "foot" to be "12 inches," while the aff defines the word to mean a human foot, the neg could argue that the aff's case is in violation with the neg's interpretation of the resolution.)
Voters
Reasons for a judge to vote for a certain team, often given at the end of the last rebuttal
An extension of Word that helps debaters cut cards and write speeches more efficiently
Violation
An action taken by a team that does not satisfy the interpretation of the other team (ex. If the neg defines the word "foot" to be "12 inches," while the aff defines the word to mean a human foot, the neg could argue that the aff's case is in violation with the neg's interpretation of the resolution.)
Voters
Reasons for a judge to vote for a certain team, often given at the end of the last rebuttal
W
We Meet
A statement showing that a team has satisfied the standards that their opponents have brought up
A statement showing that a team has satisfied the standards that their opponents have brought up
