Following up on several previous research (Groarke & Kišiček, 2018 ; Van den Hoven & Kišiček, 2017 ; Kišiček, 2016) this paper extends the study on the importance of sound in a multimodal argumentative discourse. Earlier work argued that sound (both human and non-human) can have an essential role in the understanding of multi-modal argumentation and that it is possible to reconstruct and assess auditory argument using the tools of verbal argumentation (Kišiček, 2018, forthcoming). This paper presents an empirical experiment with a goal of verifying the influence of prosodic features on the acceptably of an argument. The same argument on a specific topic (the issue of immigrants) was delivered with the variety of prosodic features (voice quality, pitch, intonation, tempo, rhythm, intensity) and the audience of 20 students evaluated the argument (its validity, straight, persuasiveness). The same argument was delivered in 10 different varieties (five by female and five by male speakers). Students only heard the recording and had no visual contact with the speakers. The questioner consisted of five questions where the first was preliminary examination of the audience attitude towards immigrants requesting asylum in Croatia. Then, the students heard the anti-immigrant argument and had to assess it on the scale from 1 to 7 (where 1 was strong NO, a 7 was strong YES). The final question was again examination of attitude toward immigrants and testing whether it has changed. The results showed that prosodic features of a speaker do have influence on the argument assessment. Overall results show that male speakers are more favorably assessed i.e. argument presented by a male speaker had more influence on changing of attitude. The only female voice who`s argument was assessed as persuasive was the one with deeper, harsh voice. Further on, male speakers with more pleasant prosodic features were assessed as more persuasive. This empirical study confirmed extensive research in nonverbal communication and the influence of prosody on speaker evaluation (Kramer, 1977, 1978 ; Berry 1990, 1992 ; Burgoon, Birk & Pfau, 1990 ; Kimble & Seidel, 1991 ; Zuckerman & Miyake, 1993 ; Knapp 2002 ; Hickson, 2004 ; Zuckerman & Sinicropi, 2011) but also confirmed that these results influence argument evaluation. Argument “seems” stronger and more persuasive if it is delivered with specific prosodic sound.
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