Rhetorical Techniques to Increase Audience Confidence in the Speaker (Based on the Speeches of the Pleadings in Jury Trial)

Abstract

The research has examined trust as a communicative category describing the relationship between the speaker and the audience, and explored techniques to enhance audience confidence in the speaker used by court speakers when speaking to jurors. The authors proceed from the idea that the presence/absence of trust (both unidirectional and mutual) between the speaker and the audience is one of the factors in the effectiveness of the speech impact exerted on the audience. The discussion of the role of trust in communication relies on classical rhetoric and on the ideas of modern humanities: law, political science, social psychology, sociology, psychology of interpersonal communication, economics, media linguistics. As a result of the analysis of classical and modern speeches in the jury court, a system of six rhetorical techniques was proposed to strengthen the audience's confidence in the speaker: 1) demonstration of self-confidence and position, verbalization of lack of doubt, presence of a clear position, determination and firmness of action; 2) demonstration of competence, high level of knowledge and professionalism; 3) demonstration of respect for the jury, emphasis on the significance of their role in the trial, including through praise and compliments; 4) demonstration of interest for the outcome of the case, for the fate of the participants in the court session, including demonstration of sympathy and compassion for the plaintiff; 5) verbalization of a sense of responsibility for the development of society, reflection on how the deed will affect the future of society; 6) appeal to ethical and/or religious values, ideas and imperatives.