A Linguistic Analysis of Obama’s Inaugural Address
Rhythm and Rhetoric: A Linguistic Analysis of Obama’s Inaugural Address
Liilia Batluk Supervisor: Stuart Foster School of Humanities Halmstad University Bachelor’s thesis in English
Acknowledgment
My appreciations to my supervisor Stuart Foster for very helpful advice during the research.
Abstract
In this essay I shall analyze Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, January, 2009 from the perspective of various linguistic techniques. More specifically, I shall propose and focus on the idea that the composition of the speech has an aim to create a unity of the speaker and the audience in order to deliver the message. Moreover, the speaker maintains the atmosphere of unity throughout the speech, so that the speech produces an effect when the audience becomes a co-author of it. My thesis will also discuss some aspects of persuasive strategies employed in the speech from those dating back as long as Ancient Greece to temporal discourses. The aim is to analyze how the use of a number of linguistic approaches creates a speech which senses an agreement and co-operation between the orator and the audience.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………….. 1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………… 1 2. Context: historical, cultural and social circumstances ........................................... 4 2.1 Social and cultural background ……………………………………………….. 5 2.2 Historical/political context .…………………………………………………… 6 3. Methodology ……………………………………………………………………… 4. Rhetorical and linguistic strategies ………………………………………………. 6 7
4.1. The use of personal deixis ……………………………………………… 8 4.2. Rhythm ………………………………………………………………...... 10 4.3. Parallelism and foregrounding …………………………………………. .13 4.3.1. Parallelism – syntactic and lexical…………………………………… 15 4.3.2. Parallelism and alliteration ………………………………………….. 16 4.4. Rhetoric: lexical chain for the planned changes ………………………....17 4.5. Citing other orators …………………………………………………… 19 4.6. Elements of preaching
Liilia Batluk Supervisor: Stuart Foster School of Humanities Halmstad University Bachelor’s thesis in English
Acknowledgment
My appreciations to my supervisor Stuart Foster for very helpful advice during the research.
Abstract
In this essay I shall analyze Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, January, 2009 from the perspective of various linguistic techniques. More specifically, I shall propose and focus on the idea that the composition of the speech has an aim to create a unity of the speaker and the audience in order to deliver the message. Moreover, the speaker maintains the atmosphere of unity throughout the speech, so that the speech produces an effect when the audience becomes a co-author of it. My thesis will also discuss some aspects of persuasive strategies employed in the speech from those dating back as long as Ancient Greece to temporal discourses. The aim is to analyze how the use of a number of linguistic approaches creates a speech which senses an agreement and co-operation between the orator and the audience.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………….. 1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………… 1 2. Context: historical, cultural and social circumstances ........................................... 4 2.1 Social and cultural background ……………………………………………….. 5 2.2 Historical/political context .…………………………………………………… 6 3. Methodology ……………………………………………………………………… 4. Rhetorical and linguistic strategies ………………………………………………. 6 7
4.1. The use of personal deixis ……………………………………………… 8 4.2. Rhythm ………………………………………………………………...... 10 4.3. Parallelism and foregrounding …………………………………………. .13 4.3.1. Parallelism – syntactic and lexical…………………………………… 15 4.3.2. Parallelism and alliteration ………………………………………….. 16 4.4. Rhetoric: lexical chain for the planned changes ………………………....17 4.5. Citing other orators …………………………………………………… 19 4.6. Elements of preaching
Cited: Obama 's Inaugural Address Remarks as Prepared for Delivery January 20, 2009 My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors