Exploring the Aristotelian Rhetoric Strategies in Some Speeches by Michelle Obama and Melania Trump A Political Discourse Analysis

Document Type : Academic research papers

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English Department - College Langauge and Communication - Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport

Abstract

Persuading the audience is not an easy mission and therefore, cannot be successfully accomplished without exerting much effort in using the most influencing tools and techniques. In political speeches the way that the politician/ public figure speaks and the word choice he/she makes may deeply influence the audience to think and act according to his/her beliefs. This normally involves an argumentation process, where the construction of ideas is based on logical relations between what the speaker says and the persuasion tool he employs. Based on such persuasive approach and considering political discourse tools used to strengthen the positive impact of speakers’ discourse on their audience and supporting their candidature, various techniques are used to accomplish such target. This paper uses the Aristotelian Rhetoric Appeals; ethos, pathos; logos to identify the dominant appeal employed in the American presidential campaign speeches of the two US first ladies, Michelle Obama, wife of the US presidency democratic candidate, 2008 and Melania Trump, wife of the US presidency republican candidate, 2016. The analysis also helps to know how these appeals employment helps the two US ladies convey their messages, hopes, and promises as to persuade their audience and how it reflects the cultural background of both ladies.

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Buhūth
Volume 1, Issue 5
Language and Literature
August 2021
Pages 103-125

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