Suhair Safwat M. Hashim
University of Sulaimani, Iraq
Abstract
The study investigates the role of
language in the communication and interpretation of intentions by examining
selected political speeches of John Kerry in Presidential Campaign in 2004 and
George Bush- Inaugural address in 2001 since they have the same purposes as
pieces of discourse with specific goals. Hence, the study focused on the
pragmatic functions of locution, illocutionary and perlocutionary acts of the speeches.
Twenty sentences were selected from the
two speeches. The findings show that the overall relative frequency percentages
for the selected speeches are: commissive 40%, assertive 35%, directive 20%,
and expressive 5%. The results show that Kerry relied more on sentences that
performed commissive acts than other speech acts since he committed to some
future actions, and he promised to make the world fit the words. Bush used
sentences with assertive acts more than other speech acts since the assertive
has a truth value which can only enhance the effect of the asserted
proposition. Hence, the data are characterized by a preponderance of
commissive, assertive and directive acts that are mostly used as mobilization
strategies, especially in political campaigns, where it is essential for
candidates to persuade their listeners to win elections.
Politicians communicate directly with
the general public in order to convince them of their programs or ideas.
Usually, the speakers would promote about their self and talk about their
potency to be a good leader with all their goals to convince the hearer. In
this area, the speech act analysis of the political speeches provides the
understanding that political leaders perform various acts through their
speeches. The revelation of the dominance of Speech Acts is a reflection of the
purpose of political speeches which are to influence, persuade, impress,
convince, and even to deceive the populace.
Keywords: Speech Acts Theory, Political
Discourse, Political Speeches.
No comments:
Post a Comment