Anna V. A.

Orenburg State University

Some structural peculiarities of the texts of pre-election propaganda speeches

The distinctive features of every discourse type and its language are determined by some definite intentions and the set of functions being characteristic for the texts which make up a certain discourse type. As is well known, the political language main function is its being the instrument of a political power. However, there are many additional functions being distinguished within the instrumental function of a political discourse. They are: the social control function (public opinion manipulation); the power legitimization function (the explanation of decisions about power distribution); the power reproduction function (power consolidation); the society orientation function (political reality formation in the public opinion); the public solidarity function (the integration of certain social groups); the social differentiation function (the estrangement of some social groups) etc. [Шейгал 2004:35]. 

While analyzing various texts with definite intentional contents being aimed at the realization of some functions mentioned above, we can see that there exist several text types within the political discourse which possess some well-distinguished typological peculiarities. At that, the definition of a text type may be given as “the group of texts possessing some common characteristic features” [Филиппов 2003:190] and “having one and the same communicative aim” [Комлева 2003:7].  Thus it may be stated that the texts of pre-election propaganda speeches may be regarded as a certain text type. Moreover, the distinctive patterns of the composition of the texts under analysis and the specific sphere of their use give us the possibility to refer these text types to some definite speech genre (that is to “a definite type of an utterance being relatively fixed from the point of view of its thematic, compositional and stylistic contents” [Бахтин 1979:241]).

The study of the texts of pre-election propaganda speeches lets us point out the following structural features of their composition.

 

1) In comparison with many other text types, pre-election propaganda speeches are rather long. Their volume can be of several printed pages in a fixed form.  However, the analysis of these text types lets us make a conclusion that they consist of some smaller micro-texts (or intentional parts) which present one definite fact of reality or some dominant idea, one dominant communicative component (an intentional component proper) and one dominant speech tactics (which is often manipulative). In other words, a certain micro-text is an extended speech act which has all the characteristics mentioned above and is connected with the preceding and following micro-texts which make up the whole macro-text of a pre-election propaganda speech. Every micro-text has its own composition which can be marked graphically and syntactically.

For example:

a) …So, I’ve given my team their orders for more police; for cleaner hospitals; for lower taxes; for school discipline and for controlled immigration. They are what people up and down this country want. They are what people up and down this country have waited years ago. They are what the Conservatives will deliver. If you vote Conservative you’ll be ordering us to get on with it. And that’s exactly what we’ll do. We’ll get straight to it.

I want people to have the freedom, security and opportunity to get on in life, and get on with life:

- the freedom to take the important decisions about their lives and to keep more of the money they earn;

- the security that goes with owing your home, saving for your retirement, living in the same neighborhood; and

- the opportunity that comes from a thriving economy and good education…

(Howard: Our hope is for a better Britain, http://www.conservatives.com)

As it can be seen, the part of the text type given above consists of two micro-texts. The pre-planned perlocutionary effect of the micro-texts is that of winning the recipients’ confidence and trust. To achieve the necessary effect the indirect speech act of praise is produced in the first micro-text which is intensified with an explicit persuasive component. The persuasive component is expressed through parallel constructions with anaphoric repetitions. The first micro-text is turning to the second one which contains a promissive intentional act. The promissive intention of the second micro-text is realized in a corresponding act in which the speaker’s desires and wishes are presented to the recipients as something being promised.  It should be noted that the second micro-text has a remarkable graphical pattern.

Sometimes micro-texts within the bulk of one and the same text type are given separate headings which makes the intentional segmentation of a text type clearly marked.

For example:

b) SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In February, we published our Party's new statement of aims and values, called Built to Last. Right at the top, it makes clear that our aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone through a dynamic economy, a strong society, and a sustainable environment. That triple focus is of course the foundation of real sustainability. But in the context of sustainable development, there are two vital things about Built to Last.

LONG TERM THINKING

The first is reflected in the name of the document. We're serious about developing policy for the long term. I think there has been far too much short-term policy-making in recent years.

Time and again we've seen policy initiatives announced to get headlines in the media which then fall apart, fail to deliver, and end up being abandoned or reversed.

(Cameron: General Well-Being speech, http://www.conservatives.com)

2) Most texts of pre-election propaganda speeches have a three-part composition.  In the first part (the introduction), the intentional acts of greeting and thanks to the recipients are realized. The second (and the most informative) part represents the set of micro-texts which are aimed at the achieving of the pre-planned perlocutionary effect.  The purpose of this part is to make the recipients vote for the speaker and his team. Very often the pre-planned effect is supposed to be achieved through some manipulative tactics. The third part (the conclusion) is an implicit or an explicitly expressed appeal to vote for a definite party or a candidate. However, it should be noted here that such a composition of speeches under analysis is not always observed. 

Bibliography.

1.      Бахтин, М.М. Эстетика словесного творчества. / М.М. Бахтин. - М.: Искусство, 1979. – 424 с.

2.      Комлева, Е.В. Лингвостилистические особенности выражения побудительности в текстах официально-деловой прозы (на материале современного немецкого языка): Автореф. дис. … канд. филол. наук./ Е.В. Комлева. - Санкт-Петербург, 2003. - 18 с.

3.      Филиппов, К.А. Лингвистика текста: курс лекций. / К.А. Филиппов. - СПб.: Изд-во С.-Петерб. ун-та, 2003. - 336 с.

4.      Шейгал, Е.И. Семиотика политического дискурса. / Е.И. Шейгал. – М.: ИТДГК «Гнозис», 2004. – 326с.