Constructing the convincing political speech

The conditions and aims of the use of the pronominal forms ´I` and ´we` in political language with special focus on the “Sportpalastrede” of Joseph Goebbels

Exposé Écrit pour un Séminaire / Cours , 2006 , 42 Pages , Note: 1,0

Philologie Anglaise - Linguistique

If today one thinks of politics, politicians and their language there is one opinion that always comes first: All politicians are liars They are smooth-talkers who promise things they cannot fulfil only to get more votes in the coming-up election and they use beautiful words to paraphrase and disguise social injustices.
And in some points this opinion is right. There really is a specific political language used by the politicians to follow certain aims but this has not always to be disguise or circumscription. What many of the citizens simply ignore is the fact, that politicians are dependent from the mass. Without the public there would be no need for politicians. And the same goes for political discussions. Politicians don’t argue with each other because they like it. It is always the fact that a political actor starts political relations with another actor and at the same time with the public. If two politicians talk to each other on the television this is always orchestrated for the people who watch the show. (see Dieckmann 1981: 265) The main reason for every politician to lie or to use special vocabulary is for the purpose of being convincing. This paper analyses the language used by politicians in certain situations to convince people of the correctness of their point of view, in its’ roots, mainly based on the book Politically Speaking: The Pragmatic analysis of Political Language by John Wilson. The main focus of this paper is put to the question of the use of the pronominal forms ´I` and ´we` in political talk, under which conditions the one is used and when the other and what for. It is not arguable that politicians always have a reason for using ´I` or ´we` in different contexts, especially in written speeches that are planned and very well prepared. Also the difference between scripted and unscripted speeches will be touched in this paper. To employ the theoretical basis that is provided here, in the last section the famous “Sportpalast”-speech of Joseph Goebbels from 1943 will be analysed with regard to the use of different pronominal forms. The final summary shall bundle the gained information to a logical minimum and draw some conclusions from it. It will show if political use of speech is intentionally manipulating and disguising facts, especially in the example of Goebbels or if the use of language in politics does not differ in great parts from the day-to-day use at home.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics
  • The interaction of Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics in political language
  • Definition of Pragmatics as sub-discipline of linguistics
• Theoretical basis
  • Truth, Linguistics and Pragmatics
  • Political pronouns and pragmatic implications
    • Political pronouns
    • Myself and others
    • Culture, Topic and Individual
• The use of pronominal forms in Goebbels` speech
  • Analysis
  • Resume
• Summary

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper investigates the use of pronominal forms "I" and "we" in political language, with a specific focus on the "Sportpalastrede" of Joseph Goebbels. The paper aims to understand the conditions and aims behind the use of these pronouns, analyzing the linguistic strategies employed by politicians to achieve persuasion. Key themes explored include:

• The relationship between sociolinguistics and pragmatics in political discourse
• The role of context in shaping the meaning and effectiveness of political speech
• The impact of pronominal forms on the construction of political identity and authority
• The analysis of the "Sportpalastrede" as a case study in political persuasion

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: The paper introduces the topic of political language and its persuasive nature, highlighting the specific focus on the use of pronominal forms "I" and "we" in political speeches. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the context and aims behind such linguistic choices.
• Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics: This chapter explores the intersection of sociolinguistics and pragmatics, examining how social factors influence the use of language in political discourse. It delves into the definition of pragmatics and its role in understanding the meaning and effect of language in specific contexts.
• Theoretical Basis: This chapter lays out the theoretical framework for analyzing the use of pronominal forms in political discourse, focusing on the concepts of truth, linguistics, and pragmatics. It examines the pragmatic implications of political pronouns and their relation to identity, authority, and social context.
• The use of pronominal forms in Goebbels` speech: This chapter analyzes the "Sportpalastrede" of Joseph Goebbels, focusing on the use of pronominal forms "I" and "we" to understand the strategies employed to persuade the audience. The analysis delves into the context of the speech and its impact on the audience.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The paper explores the intersection of sociolinguistics and pragmatics in political language, focusing on the use of pronominal forms "I" and "we" as tools for persuasion. Key concepts include political discourse, pragmatic analysis, pronominal forms, political identity, authority, and the "Sportpalastrede" of Joseph Goebbels. The analysis delves into the relationship between language, context, and persuasion, highlighting the impact of linguistic choices on the construction of meaning and the achievement of political objectives.

• Université: University of Cologne (Englisches Seminar)
• Cours: Sociolinguistics
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Claudia Effenberger (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2006
• Pages: 42
• N° de catalogue: V118108
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640212231
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640212347
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Constructing, Sociolinguistics