In rhetoric, the catastasis is that part of a speech, usually the exordium, in which the orator sets forth the subject matter to be discussed.
ɪn ɹˈɛɾɚɹˌɪk, ðə kˌæɾeɪstˈɑːsiz ɪz ðæt pˈɑːɹt əvə spˈiːtʃ, jˈuːʒuːəli ðɪ ɛɡzˈoːɹdiəm, ɪnwˌɪtʃ ðɪ ˈɔːɹəɾɚ sˈɛts fˈɔːɹθ ðə sˈʌbdʒɛkt mˈæɾɚ təbi dɪskˈʌst.