Poetics of repetition in ordinary talk: A case among Persian heritage language teachers and their students

In this research study, I show that the teachers in a Los Angeles Persian heritage language classroom used many forms of linguistic repetition as a poetic device for its affective influence on their students. By using linguistic anthropological methods, I analyzed audio and video recordings of naturally-occurring conversation involving seventeen Persian heritage language students and two heritage language teachers for the use of linguistic repetition. The analysis showed that the heritage language teachers used synonyms, similar-sounding words, reiteration, grammatical repetition, poetic rhyming, and phrases of similar length to beautify their spontaneous utterances for affective impact on their students. Additionally, the data demonstrated that both students and teachers collaborated with one another to create an aesthetic form of conversation by recycling words and structures in the utterances. These findings show that: (1) spontaneous talk in Persian is poetic, (2) Persian speakers use many forms of linguistic repetition to beautify their talk, and, (3) Persian speakers beautify their talk to influence their audience affectively.

► Spontaneous talk in Persian is poetic. ► Persian speakers use many forms of linguistic repetition to beautify their talk. ► Persian speakers beautify their talk to influence their audience affectively.