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THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES NGUYEN THI THANH THANH PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES IN ENGLISH POLITICAL SPEECHES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS DOCTORAL THESIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DANANG - 2023 THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES NGUYEN THI THANH THANH PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES IN ENGLISH POLITICAL SPEECHES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS Major: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS Code: 9220201 DOCTORAL THESIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DANANG - 2023 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the dissertation This dissertation has not been submitted for the award of any degree of diploma in any other tertiary institution Da Nang, June, 2023 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I am greatly indebted to my supervisors for their continuous support and conscientious supervision I wish to express my deep gratitude to Dr Ngũ Thiện Hùng and Dr Lê Thị Giao Chi for their kindness of giving me useful feedback, constant encouragement to help me to conquer every demanding stage of the doctoral research Thus, my supervisors fire up my confidence, determination in accomplishing the thesis I owe my sincere thanks to Assoc Prof Dr Phan Văn Hòa, Assoc Prof Dr Trần Hữu Phúc, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa, Assoc Prof Dr Lưu Quý Khương, Assoc.Prof Dr Trần Văn Phước, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Tất Thắng, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Quang Ngoạn, Dr Võ Thị Kim Anh, and Dr Huỳnh Ngọc Mai Kha for their precious comments and encouragement throughout my process of writing the paper I would like to thank the Department of Academic Affairs, University of Foreign Language Studies for their support and facilitation with the paperwork pertaining to this doctoral thesis Last but not least, I am very grateful to my family: my parents, my brother and sister-in law, my three children and my husband Especially, this dissertation could not have been completed without the immense support of my husband, who has always been encouraging me to achieve dissertation goals iii ABSTRACT Politics is a process of seeking group decisions by the distribution of power and resources in order to put certain political, economic and social ideas into practice (Bayram, 2010) It is hardly imagined that almost every political action is prepared, accompanied, influenced and accomplished without the utilization of persuasive strategies The study on Persuasive Strategies in English Political Speeches from the Perspective of Critical Discourse Analysis attempts to build up a comprehensive picture of persuasion strategies in political discourse, especially contrasting political stands of the two presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during their 2016 Presidential campaign Methodologically, the study was designed as a descriptive comparative study using qualitative method since the collected data was targeted to yield information about the syntactic linguistic units in the form of sentences, phrases, clauses and words These were classified into their syntactic categories along with their semantic functions, adopting Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model (1995, 2010), Halliday’s Textual Analysis in Systemic Functional Grammar (2004, 2014) as the grounding theories, assisted by rhetoric theory by Aristotle (1984) to unearth the persuasive strategies employed by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in their presidential election speeches Accordingly, thanks to the contrastive analysis of the persuasive strategies and the metafunctions utilized by the two politicians in 35 speeches, the thesis discovered that both politicians presented their different political stands and ideologies over various issues Although Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump deeply reflected their tremendous love, patriotism and loyalty for their nation through their presidential election speeches, they mostly showed their disagreement on quite a large number of aspects manifested in six conflicting ideologies The current situation of the American society was, therefore, also concurrently portrayed through the thesis findings The dissertation, as briefly described above, is hoped to entail significant contribution to research on both language and discourse concerning persuasive strategies iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Adm : Admiration Aff : Affect App : Appreciation An : Anger Cal : Calmness CDA : Critical Discourse Analysis Conf : Confidence En : Envy Enth : Enthymeme E.g : Example Fe : Fear Fr : Friendship Gw : Goodwill Ha : Hatred Jud : Judgment PIn : Perceived intelligence SFG : Systemic Functional Grammar VCh : Virtuous character v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Fairclough’s framework for analyzing a communicative event 13 Figure 2.2 Applying Fairclough (1995, 2010)’s three-layered model to the research 17 Figure 2.3 Main structure of the appraisal framework, adapted from Martin and White (2005) .22 Figure 2.4 The sub-systems of Attitude Appraisal Martin and Rose (2007) 22 Figure 2.5 Features of persuasion (Simon, 2001) 28 Figure 2.6 Theoretical Framework of the Thesis .40 Figure 2.7 Conceptual Framework of the Thesis .41 Figure 3.1 A snapshot of Research Randomizer Software 48 Figure 4.1 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos .73 Figure 4.2 Analysis of material process in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 73 Figure 4.3 Analysis of material process in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 74 Figure 4.4 Analysis of mental process in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 75 Figure 4.5 Analysis of mental process in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 76 Figure 4.6 Analysis of relational process in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 76 Figure 4.7 Topical theme of behavior in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 77 Figure 4.8 Topical theme of circumstance in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 78 Figure 4.9 Topical theme of time in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 78 Figure 4.10 Interpersonal theme - Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 80 Figure 4.11 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 91 Figure 4.12 Analysis of material process in Hillary Clinton’s Logos .92 Figure 4.13 Analysis of material process in Hillary Clinton’s Logos .92 Figure 4.14 Analysis of mental process in Clinton’s Logos 93 Figure 4.15 Analysis of relational process in Clinton’s Logos 94 Figure 4.16 Interpersonal theme – Finite 95 Figure 4.17 Interpersonal theme – Mood adjuncts in Hillary Clinton’s Logos .96 Figure 4.18 Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 97 Figure 4.19 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 113 vi Figure 4.20 Analysis of material process in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 113 Figure 4.21 Analysis of mental process in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos .114 Figure 4.22 Analysis of relational process in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 115 Figure 4.23 Topical theme of behavior in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 116 Figure 4.24 Topical theme of circumstance in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 116 Figure 4.25 Topical theme of time in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos .117 Figure 4.26 Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 118 Figure 5.1 Ideational Function in Donald Trump’s Ethos .137 Figure 5.2 Analysis of material process in Donald Trump’s Ethos .138 Figure 5.3 Analysis of material process in Donald Trump’s Ethos .138 Figure 5.4 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Ethos 139 Figure 5.5 Analysis of relational process in Donald Trump’s Ethos .140 Figure 5.6 Topical theme of behavior in Donald Trump’s Ethos 141 Figure 5.7 Topical theme of circumstance in Donald Trump’s Ethos 142 Figure 5.8 Topical theme of time in Donald Trump’s Ethos 143 Figure 5.9 Interpersonal theme - Vocatives in Donald Trump’s Ethos 144 Figure 5.10 Ideational function in Donald Trump’s Logos 162 Figure 5.11 Analysis of material processes in Donald Trump’s Logos 163 Figure 5.12 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Logos 163 Figure 5.13 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Logos 163 Figure 5.14 Analysis of relational process in Donald Trump’s Logos 164 Figure 5.15 Analysis of relational process in Donald Trump’s Logos 164 Figure 5.16 Topical theme of circumstance in Donald Trump’s Logos 165 Figure 5.17 Topical theme of time in Donald Trump’s Logos 166 Figure 5.18 Ideational function in Donald Trump’s Pathos 186 Figure 5.19 Analysis of material process in Donald Trump’s Pathos 186 Figure 5.20 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Pathos 187 Figure 5.21 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Pathos 187 Figure 5.22 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Pathos 188 Figure 5.23 Analysis of mental process in Donald Trump’s Pathos 189 vii Figure 5.24 Topical theme of circumstance in Donald Trump’s Pathos 189 Figure 5.25 Topical theme of time in Donald Trump’s Pathos .191 Figure 6.1 Ethos’s features in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s political speeches 194 Figure 6.2 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Ethos 196 Figure 6.3 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Ethos 199 Figure 6.4 Topical theme of behavior in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Ethos 200 Figure 6.5 Topical theme of time in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Ethos 200 Figure 6.6 Topical theme of circumstance in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump ’s Ethos 201 Figure 6.7 Interpersonal theme - Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Ethos 201 Figure 6.8 Logos’s features in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s political speeches 202 Figure 6.9 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Logos 203 Figure 6.10 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Logos 206 Figure 6.11 Interpersonal theme – Finite in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 207 Figure 6.12 Interpersonal theme – Finite in Donald Trump’s Logos 207 Figure 6.13 Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 208 Figure 6.14 Pathos in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s political speeches 209 Figure 6.15 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Pathos .210 Figure 6.16 Ideational function in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Pathos213 Figure 6.17 Topical theme of circumstance in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Pathos .214 Figure 6.18 Topical theme of time in Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s Pathos 215 Figure 6.19 Vocatives in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 216 Figure 6.20 Voters’ views on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump according to CBS NEWS’s poll 232 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 Ethos in Hillary Clinton’s political speeches 56 Table 4.2 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 59 Table 4.3 Positive Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos .62 Table 4.4 Negative Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos .66 Table 4.5 Judgement in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 68 Table 4.6 Appreciation in Hillary Clinton’s Ethos 70 Table 4.7 Logos in Hillary Clinton’s political speeches 81 Table 4.8 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 83 Table 4.9 Positive Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 85 Table 4.10 Negative Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 87 Table 4.11 Judgement in Hillary Clinton’s Logos 89 Table 4.12 Appreciation in Hillary Clinton’s Logos .90 Table 4.13 Pathos in Hillary Clinton’s political speeches .98 Table 4.14 Modality in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 101 Table 4.15 Positive Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 102 Table 4.16 Negative Affect in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 107 Table 4.17 Judgement in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos 109 Table 4.18 Appreciation in Hillary Clinton’s Pathos .111 Table 5.1 Ethos in Donald Trump’s political speeches 120 Table 5.2 Modality in Donald Trump’s Ethos .123 Table 5.3 Positive Affect in Donald Trump’s Ethos 125 Table 5.4 Negative Affect Donald Trump’s Ethos 129 Table 5.5 Judgement in Donald Trump’s Ethos 131 Table 5.6 Appreciation in Donald Trump’s Ethos 134 Table 5.7 Logos in Donald Trump’s political speeches .145 Table 5.8 Distribution of modality in Donald Trump’s Logos 147 Table 5.9 Positive Affect in Donald Trump’s Logos .149 Table 5.10 The summary of negative Affect in Donald Trump’s Logos .152 236 rhetorical strategies that resonated his candidacy with the legacy of past Republican principles For instances, Trump strongly emphasized border security and immigration control which were appealed to traditional Republican voters who were historically considered as supporters of tougher immigration policies; or promised to apply tax cut policies which echoed the deep-rooted Republican emphasis on freemarket principles; or prioritized American interests over international commitments in his “American First” foreign policy, inheriting the inclination of previous Republican administrations Intertextuality in the Explanation Stage Regarding sociocultural practices layer which examines how language and discourse are embedded in broader social practices and structures, intertextuality involves comprehending how the candidates' choice of language and references relate to the way they interact with their audience, media representation, and the broader socio-political environment in which the speeches were given Clinton’s and Trump’s persuasive strategies employed intertextual sociocultural patterns to reinforce their messages and positioned themselves as representatives of their respective groups Clinton’s intertextuality was clearly reflected in the following aspects: • Historical references: Clinton frequently utilized historical figures and events to underscore her continuity and expertise She referenced past presidents, leaders, and influential figures to align herself with their legacy and values By doing so, she sought to portray herself as a knowledgeable and experienced leader, capable of navigating complex sociocultural issues • Inclusive language: Clinton used inclusive language that resonated with diverse social and cultural groups She alluded to different minority communities, women's rights movements, and civil rights activists, acknowledging their struggles and presenting herself as an advocate for their causes This intertextual approach aimed to create a sense of unity and support among her audience • Appeal to identity: Clinton's speeches often made use of intertextuality by referencing shared cultural symbols and historical events to connect with her audience For example, she may have alluded to iconic figures like Martin 237 Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, or other historical events such as the Civil Rights Movement to evoke a sense of collective identity and shared values On the other hand, Trump’s intertextuality in sociocultural practices facilitated the construction of his persuasive strategies in discourse, which was demonstrated via the following aspects: • Populist references: Trump's speeches often included intertextual references that appealed to the working-class population and those dissatisfied with the political establishment He used terms and phrases that resonated with the concerns and frustrations of ordinary Americans, portraying himself as a candidate who understands and represents their interests • Nationalistic Appeals: Trump utilized intertextuality to evoke a strong sense of national identity and pride He referenced iconic American symbols, historical events, and patriotic narratives to create an emotional connection with his audience This intertextual strategy aimed to position him as a champion of American values and interests • Historical Comparisons: Trump drew comparisons between his candidacy and significant historical events or figures, such as likening his movement to the Reagan revolution This intertextual connection allowed him to position himself as a transformative figure in American politics Overall, referring to intertextuality in CDA, Trump and Clinton used language strategically to construct their political identities, frame issues, appeal to their target audience, and position themselves within broader ideological and cultural contexts It facilitates comprehension of the intricate interplay between language, power, and the broader societal context, following Fairclough's three-layer model of CDA 6.8 Summary Following the preliminary results of Chapter and which function as the Description Stage, Chapter proceeds with the Interpretation Stage and Explanation Stage according to Fairclough’s CDA three-layered model Accordingly, the Interpretation Stage which elaborates a contrastive analysis of the persuasive strategies employed in Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was provided 238 Subsequently, the text production, distribution and consumption in the Interpretation Stage was be placed in relation with the related contextual factors to facilitate further sociocultural practice analysis in the following stage Finally, the Explanation Stage with reference to intertextuality to foster the analysis of persuasive strategies by providing a descriptive analysis of the political speeches thanks to the relation of the textual constructions and the socio-political context The findings of the study showed the distinction in lexical and grammatical features as reflected in the two candidates’ speeches to foster the interpretation of their ideologies dichotomy, power distribution and different persuasive strategies 239 CHAPTER CONCLUSION This chapter is made up of three major sections In the first section, a recapitulation of the study is given with the theoretical framework, data collection and major findings of the research being reiterated This is followed by a description of the implications recommended before the statement of the limitations for the research as well as suggestions for further studies 7.1 Recapitulation The aims of the study are to investigate the employment of persuasive stategies within political speeches of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in their run for presidential position in 2016 using Fairclough’s CDA model (1995, 2010) as the research approach The desired outcomes of the thesis are to unfold the application of different persuasive strategies, adopting Aristotle’s (1984) rhetoric theory, and their utilization of lexico-grammatical resources highlighting the metafunctions, namely the textual, interpersonal and ideational functions, following Halliday’s Textual Analysis in SFG (2004, 2014) Besides, the thesis attempts to interpret the lexical resources with a view to relating to further sociocultural practice analysis which entails the interrelation of power and ideology as manifested in the persuasive strategies employed From 35 presidential election speeches of each politician, giving approximately 1071 and 1232 instances of persuasive strategies respectively found in Clinton’s and Trump’s political discourse, the thesis finally reaches the desired outcomes The following remarks were withdrawn through the thesis: (i) The Description Stage unveiled Hillary Clinton’s three types of persuasive strategies Ethos, Logos and Pathos Accordingly, Clinton’s image and credibility were constructed thanks to her rhetorical proofs in the realm of Ethos which was characterized by her perceived intelligence, virtuous character and goodwill, Logos by enthymeme and examples and Pathos by emotion appeal Metafunctions of the persuasive strategies employed have assisted the Democrat candidate in spreading 240 persuasion Particularly, interpersonal function examining the utilization of modality to uncover the politician’s power and authority as a political leader unveiled that Clinton often stressed her alacrity to collaborate and negotiate with others for better ease of persuasion Appraisal resources to further sharpen the Interpersonal meaning elaborated her evaluative language to different groups of people and a wide range of issues To be concluded, Clinton was inclined to fortify her power to promote social justice and equality Regarding ideational function, the analysis in transitivity system being in charge revealed that Clinton had a likelihood of utilizing her language to construct and cultivate power relations between her and the audience by shaping herself as a champion and sculpturing her rival as obstructive and insensitive Textual function, being characterized by the relation between theme and rheme, entailed the realization that Clinton frequently conveyed her messages and slogans via repetition and rhetorical devices, stressing the significance of unity and collective action (ii) Also being included in the Description Stage according to Fairclough’s CDA three-layered model was the analysis of Donald Trump’s employment of persuasive strategies in his presidential election speeches Accordingly, each strategy according to Aristotle’s theory of persuasive strategies (Ethos, Logos and Pathos) were closely looked for the realization of interpersonal, textual and ideational function to eventually highlight the power demonstrated by the politicians and the ideologies deliberately communicated for persuasion Particularly, Trump outstood himself with political discourse by a strong sense of certainty and conviction, which was conveyed through his use of modality featuring interpersonal function, and strong sense of evaluation, conveyed by his use of appraisal As such, Trump’s ideology of nationalism and Americanism was constructed uniquely Ideational function as manifested in the persuasive strategies showed the way in which Trump attempted to maintain power relations Trump intentionally portrayed himself as the agent of change and reversely deteriorated his opponent’s image with various association with passiveness, self-interested individual and failures Textual function, being featured by interpersonal and topical theme as displayed in the persuasive strategies, served to strengthen Trump’s strong belief in the American identity and culture 241 (iii) The Interpretation Stage which entailed a contrastive analysis of Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s persuasive strategies, placing the text in relation with contextual factors to reach text distribution and consumption It is concluded that Clinton, within a broader cultural context of social and political liberalism, often directed her appeals to diversity, inclusion, and progressivism Noticeably, “Stronger together” was Clinton’s message to strengthen the sense of collectivism and an emphasis on citizenship rights and feminism On the other hand, Trump was a familiar name in the sphere of business, pursuing political path with an attempt to highlight the superiority of America in the world affairs tended to put more focus on the nationalism and nostalgia for a golden time of America within a broader cultural context of relentless worries and outrage towards globalization, immigration, and cultural change “Make America stronger again” was Trump’s propaganda slogan to highlight “Americanism” in separation of “globalization” The audience were finally given enough information and persuaded to take either side and decide their votes (iv) The Explanation Stage was also provided in order to foster the sociocultural practice analysis of persuasive strategies utilized in the two candidates’ speeches by providing the relation of the textual constructions and the socio- political context The findings of this stage showed strong ideologies dichotomy and distinctive power distribution of the two politicians over the audience Table 7.1 illustrates the distribution of ideologies and power in accordance with relevant persuasive strategies in the politicians’ discourse Thanks to the research discoveries, ideologies are revealed, enforcing the strength and power of the persuasive strategies employed by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in their 2016 presidential election speeches Accordingly, the effects of ideologies and power relations as manifested in the politicians’ persuasive strategies were looked at three different levels, at the situational level, institutional and societal level Accordingly, how influential the politicians’ persuasive strategies were to communicate their ideologies and spread power was unveiled at the fullest Reversely, by examining how ideology and power were embedded in these broader scopes, an insightful view into the ways in which language is used to maintain or challenge power relations was eventually obtained 242 Table 7.1 Ideology dichotomy as presented in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s persuasive strategies IDEOLOGIES Hillary Clinton - used Ethos, Logos, Pathos to promote feminism - used Ethos, Logos, Pathos to promote the ideology of being “stronger together” - used Ethos, Logos, Pathos to promote globalization - The economy + used Logos to mock Trump on his refusal to release tax review + used Ethos to promise to impose higher tax on high earners than the low-paid individuals - Terrorism + used Pathos to show sympathy toward disadvantaged refugees + used Logos to reason that terrorism and Islamic people were not homogeneous - Immigration + used Ethos to present intentions to provide pathway to citizenships for the undocumented immigrants - Health + used Ethos, Pathos to spread desire and advocate Obamacare + used Ethos to prove herself as the leader with goodwill, credibility and good heart for people, especially health issues - Gun policy + used Logos and Pathos to strongly reject gun violence + used Ethos to present plans to combat gun violence - Education + used Ethos to make promises to provide debt-free college tuition plan for students Donald Trump Americanism → used Ethos, Logos, Pathos to promote Americanism and the desire to “make America great again”, reasoning to mock Clinton’s past scandals and failures and promising to build a more beautiful future for America - The economy: + used Logos to mock Clinton’s past failures + used Ethos to stretch out protectionism and go against globalization - Terrorism + used Ethos to enforce his will in implementing unprecedented surveillance with Muslim to prevent terrorism + used Pathos to show hatred and anger toward terrorism and extremist groups - Immigration + used Ethos to present plans of imposing restrictions on immigrants - Health + used Ethos, Pathos and Logos to repeal and replace Obamacare - Gun policy + used Logos and Pathos to mock Clinton on her gun-zone area + used Ethos to portray his endeavor on applying control measures on weapons - Education + used Logos to criticize Clinton’s policy 243 (v) Intertextuality functioned distinctively in three different stages of CDA to facilitate the analysis of Trump and Clinton’s persuasive strategies in their presidential campaign speeches At the textual layer, intertextuality referred to Trump’s uses of specific linguistic elements such as “Make American great again”, “American First”, “Build a wall” … to make implicit references to his political ideologies regarding Americanism, nationalism, anti-immigration, border control…, while Clinton reflected intertextuality in her employment of several typical phrases, for instances, “Strong together”, “Love trumps hates”, “A woman’s place is in the White House” to shape her campaign’s narrative and appeal to various segments such as unity, solidarity, collectivity and feminism of the electorate At the discursive layer, Trump's references to historical events and national symbols generated a sense of nationalism, highlighting his vision of an America-first approach Conversely, Clinton's intertextual references to civil rights leaders to signal her alignment with progressive values and social justice issues These intertextual choices provided deeper insights into the politicians' persuasive strategies and how they positioned themselves within broader discourses and political traditions Finally, at the sociocultural practices layer, Trump's speeches tapped into the rhetoric of previous populist leaders, connecting with the surge of populist movements in contemporary politics Similarly, Clinton's intertextual references to historical figures advocating for social change were indicative of her attempt to engage specific constituencies and mobilize support 7.2 Implications The study has provided both theoretical and practical contribution Theoretically, the result of this study is expected to provide knowledge in the areas of Critical Discourse Analysis as the research and Systemic Functional Grammar highlighting metafunctions and constructing ideologies It is realized that the combination of Fairclough’s CDA model (1995, 2010) as the research approach and Halliday’s Textual Analysis in SFG (2004, 2014) to unearth the metafunctions of the persuasive strategies manifested in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s presidential election speeches has yield interesting implications for the significance 244 of the study and later research in the same sphere Objections to Halliday’s theory later than the period of time of 2014 may conclude that there was little connection between Critical Discourse Studies and types of textual analysis since SFL involved too much “lexico-syntactic” and “too much esoteric vocabulary” (Dijk, 2008, p.2930) However, the thesis contributed to prove the close relationship between textual function and context or social setting In other words, it is communicated that a text would be hardly understood unless it was put in relation with the social – historical context or conversely, the text would be “rarely detectable in its entirety from the text alone” (Bloor, 2013) Therefore, to fully support research in the area of CDA, the combination of methodologies would be necessary (Bloom, 2013) Ultimately, the study confidently provided the contribution to CDA study in a way that it served an example of CDA study, adopting SFG as well as employing all the mentioned theoretical areas as countable linguistic tools for revealing certain ideologies which were constructed through a discourse in serving the purpose of persuasion Importantly, in assisting the sorting out as well as investigating the reference of persuasive strategies in question, theory related to Ethos, Pathos, Logos within Aristotle’s rhetoric was also reached to the full Such combination of theoretical areas definitely fostered the in-depth study of persuasive strategies in political speeches As a matter of fact, persuasion is considered to play a significant role in targeting successful communication, arousing the hearers’ interest in receiving the information while avoiding awareness gaps between the speakers and listeners as well as possible violence and coercion in message delivery Persuasion used by politicians not only reveals potential distinctive language features need discovering to reach an in-depth insight into language functions and meanings in the field of politics but is also treated as prolific authentic discourse resources for learners in general and language learners in particular to study and draw useful lessons That is why this study also expects to give more understanding about persuasive strategy and its role in linguistics and social interaction, for the readers and the students, especially for L2 English users and English department students specialized in linguistics as well as communication in their search for knowledge relating to persuasive strategies used as a tool to reach 245 successful communication and negotiation Specifically, such in-depth study unveiling the metafunctions and rhetoric features of the persuasive strategies in question under the light of CDA would be a prolific reference for language learners and future researchers 7.3 Limitation and Suggestions for Further Studies The present study attempts to investigate the English persuasive strategies in Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s presidential election speeches Apart from the contribution, the thesis reveals limitations that other researcher can take into considerations for their future research As indicated in the title of the research, only English persuasive strategies are focused, meaning there would be room for further research on the areas of persuasive strategies in Vietnamese Besides, a contrastive analysis of the persuasive strategies could be conducted to compare the similarities and differences in the employment of the persuasive strategies in Vietnamese and English political discourse Such matters concerning cross-culture and language worth much attention Therefore, it is suggestible for further research to conduct studies to compare and contrast the features of persuasive strategies in different backgrounds of culture and social context Furthermore, as previously stated in the research, only verbal elements are focused and such elements of non-verbal communication would not be taken into consideration, which is also an area of further research’s development As persuasive strategies are considered a way for politicians not only to persuade but also to manipulate the public’s minds and behaviors, the area of manipulation which is one of the crucial notions of CDA also requires further theoretical analysis Therefore, triangulated approach to manipulation as a form of social abuse, cognitive mind control and discursive interaction would be prolific for future studies Thanks to the lens of CDA utilizing van Dijk’s (1993) socio-cognitive approach, further analysis could focus on the use of strategies such as mind control, rhetoric art, argumentative moves, emotional appeal and historical distortion Such studies in the mentioned areas would be significant as they create awareness as well as consciousness in the public regarding rhetorical strategies adopted by political 246 leaders to execute mind control and shape public opinion in their favor Besides, although CDA and SFG offer useful frameworks for analyzing political discourse, due to their limited considerations of context or lack of interdisciplinarity, it is recommended that van Dijk’s model of CDA can bridge the gaps to reach certain findings: (1) van Dijk’s model of CDA which includes such aspects as beliefs, attitudes, values and mental representations could stress the important role of social cognition in interpreting political speeches; (2) van Dijk’s model of CDA 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