🪜civil procedure review

key term - Repetition

Definition

Repetition is a rhetorical strategy often used in persuasive speech and writing to reinforce key points and enhance retention in the audience's mind. By repeating important phrases, themes, or arguments during closing arguments, speakers aim to emphasize their main messages and make them more memorable for the jury or audience. This technique can also create a rhythm that draws listeners in and helps maintain their attention until the end.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Repetition can help clarify complex arguments by distilling them into simpler, easily remembered phrases.
  2. Effective use of repetition during closing arguments can influence jurors’ decisions by reinforcing the speaker's narrative.
  3. Repetition not only aids in memory but also builds a sense of urgency and emotional weight behind key points.
  4. Judges may advise against excessive repetition if it becomes redundant or irritating, as it could undermine the speaker's credibility.
  5. Incorporating varied forms of repetition, like anaphora or epistrophe, can enhance the impact of closing arguments.

Review Questions

  • How does repetition serve as a persuasive tool in closing arguments?
    • Repetition serves as a persuasive tool in closing arguments by reinforcing key points that the speaker wants the jury to remember. By repeating critical phrases or ideas, the speaker enhances retention and keeps these messages front-of-mind for jurors. This technique not only clarifies complex arguments but also creates emotional resonance, increasing the likelihood that jurors will be swayed by the speaker's narrative.
  • Discuss how overusing repetition might negatively affect a closing argument.
    • Overusing repetition can negatively affect a closing argument by making it seem monotonous or insincere, which may irritate jurors and diminish the speaker's credibility. If jurors perceive the speaker as trying too hard to push a point, they may become disengaged or even resistant to the argument being presented. Balance is key; effective repetition should reinforce points without veering into redundancy.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of different types of repetition, such as anaphora or epistrophe, in enhancing persuasive communication during closing arguments.
    • Different types of repetition, like anaphora (repeating phrases at the beginning of sentences) and epistrophe (repeating phrases at the end), can significantly enhance persuasive communication by creating rhythm and emphasis. Anaphora can build momentum and engage the audience emotionally as they anticipate each subsequent point. Epistrophe, on the other hand, reinforces key ideas as they resonate with the audience at the conclusion of statements. Both techniques contribute to a powerful closing argument that leaves a lasting impression on jurors.