Abdiman Zhaniya

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Lexical peculiarities of Inaugural Addresses of

N.A. Nazarbayev

Political discourse is a socially significant phenomenon that does not have a clear-cut definition. Since in different paradigms of knowledge it is used in various meanings it allows us to discuss the polysemic nature of this term.

For instance. A.N. Baranov defines political discourse as “совокупность дискурсивных практик, идентифицирующих участников политического дискурса как таковых или формирующих конкретную тематику политической коммуникации” [1, 245-246].

Such interpretation allows us to impose all possible levels of semiotic system of language into the sphere of political discourse, and identify the speeches of political elite at various official, solemn events, comments of political observers, interviews, articles in mass media, discussions on the Internet forums, at home, i.e. during non-institutional communication as its’ material.

T. van Dijk, supposes that political discourse “is not a genre, but a class of genres defined by a social domain, namely that of politics” [2, 19]. Further he adds that political discourse “is about the text and talk of professional politicians or political institutions, such as president and prime ministers and other members of government, parliament or political parties, both at the local, national and international levels” [3, 13].

The scientist limits the sphere of political discourse only to the discourse of politicians, considering political discourse within the institutional framework only.

A significant genre in the institutional framework of political discourse is an Inaugural Address. It is the first official address of the newly elected president to his fellow citizens, one of the most important ceremonies in the social and political life of the country. It is “a rite of passage, a ritual of transition in which a newly elected president is invested with the office of the presidency” [4, 282].

Inaugural Address forms a special genre of political discourse, which has a high degree of institutionality. E.I. Sheigal understands it as “действие, отражающее традиционные ценности, и национальные ментальные особенности общества в условиях перехода и легитимизации государственной власти” [action that reflects traditional values and national mental peculiarities of the society in the condition of transition and legitimation of the state power] [5, 207].

With this aim in mind, the president uses a huge range of linguistic and extralinguistic means throughout the inaugural address.

In the present article, particularly, we observe linguistic elements, that the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev uses during his inaugural addresses.

The analysis of the five inaugural addresses of the President N.A. Nazarbayev, delivered in the period from 1991 to 2015 proposes the following outcomes:

1) Usage of personal pronouns

The analysis of the inaugural addresses has indicated that the distinctive feature is the usage of the personal pronoun “мы” [we], since the main goal noted by foreign and domestic linguists is the unification of the multinational population into one nation. In total, the president uses this pronoun in Russian 101 times (the first Inaugural Address - 8, the second - 9, the third - 25, the fourth - 37, the fifth - 22), in Kazakh the pronoun “бiз” [we] 7 times (the fourth speech - 4, the fifth - 3). For instance, in the second inaugural address.

“Да, для кого-то это давно пройденный этап. Да, мы еще далеки от идеальной модели выборной демократии. Да, мы ясно видим, что нам нужно сделать на этом пути. Но мы знаем и то, что наш народ, только что освободившийся от многовекового тоталитаризма, должен выстрадать демократию.”

[Yes, for someone this is a long-gone stage. Yes, we are still far from the ideal model of elected democracy. Yes, we clearly see what we need to do along the way. But we also know that our people, who have just been freed from centuries of totalitarianism, must suffer democracy].

At the same time, the president uses the personal pronoun “я” [I], when accepting the regalia of the president, thanking the people and proclaiming the goals that he sets for himself as the president. The personal pronoun in the singular form is used 54 times in Russian (the first inaugural speech - 6, the second - 9, the third - 10, the fourth - 15, the fifth - 14), and in Kazakh language the pronoun “мен” [I] 9 times (the fourth speech-6, the fifth speech - 3).

For example, in his last inaugural address, he says:

“Я предложил 5 институциональных реформ, которые стали моей предвыборной платформой. Результат голосования 26 апреля я воспринимаю как прямой мандат народа на немедленное проведение реформ. И я намерен проявить всю свою волю, решимость, сконцентрировать государственный аппарат и консолидировать усилия общества на выполнение реформ”

[I proposed 5 institutional reforms, which became my electoral platform. The result of voting on April 26 I perceive as a direct mandate of the people for immediate reforms. And I intend to show all my will, determination, concentrate the state apparatus and consolidate the efforts of society to implement reforms.]

The use of the personal pronoun “we” emphasizes that the main purpose of the inaugural speech is to unite the country and focus on the people. While using the pronoun “I” indicates that the President assumes the duties of his office and realizes the importance of his role in solving urgent problems in the country.

2) Usage of evaluative vocabulary and bookish lexicon

Evaluative lexis is one of the most important and effective tools among the rhetorical resources of the president. The use of emotional and evaluative vocabulary, elevated “bookish” style makes a profound impact on the consciousness of the people and positively stains the speech of the president.

The following evaluative lexis was present in the Inaugural addresses of the President Nazanrbayev: “квалифицированный отряд рабочих и крестьян, талантливые ученые и инженеры” [skilled detachment of workers and peasants, talented scientists and engineers], “замечательная творческая интеллигенция и молодежь” [wonderful creative elite and youth], “великая миссия” [remarkable creative elite and youth], “высокое доверие” [great trust], “огромная ответственность” [immense responsibility], “высокоразвитая полиэтническая цивилизация” [highly developed polyethnic civilization], “альтернативные, конкурентные, прямые, демократические выборы” [alternative, competitive, direct, democratic elections], “жесткий и честный сигнал” [hard and honest signal], “высокая оценка” [high appreciation], “высокий и священный долг” [high and sacred duty], “высочайшая оценка” [highest evaluation], “искренняя поддержка” [sincere support], etc.

During the political communication, including inaugural addresses Nazarbayev uses elevated lexicon that assists in forming sonorous style. For instance, “отождествлять” [render tantamount to], “пагубно” [malevic], “замысел” [ideation], “чаяния” [aspirations], “знамение” [precurse], “черпать” [draw upon], “истина” [truth], “волеизъявление” [willingness], “ядерный арсенал” [nuclear arsenal], “созидательный труд” [creative labour], “добрососедство” [neighborliness], “уклад” [mode], “заветы” [covenant], “триумфально” [triumphally], “вехи” [milestones], “упрочение” [consolidation], “государственность” [nationhood], “незыблемо” [ironclad], etc.

The use of evaluative vocabulary has a profound influence on the consciousness of the people, and positively stains the speech of the president, while the “bookish” words make the speech high and solemn.

3) Lexical units, nominating the addressees

In general, the inaugural addresses of the president are addresses to and focused on the nation, less often he addresses his speech to the elite and foreign guests present at the ceremony.

Addressing his speech, Nursultan Nazarbayev uses such lexical units as “уважаемые/дорогие/мои соотечественники” [dear/esteemed/my fellow citizens], “соратники/ и единомышленники” [allies and associates], “уважаемые/дорогие сограждане” [dear/esteemed countrymen], “дорогие друзья” [dear friends], “уважаемые/дорогие казахстанцы” [dear/esteemed Kazakhstani citizens], “уважаемые народные депутаты” [dear national deputies], etc.

In relation to foreign and esteemed guests, the president uses such forms as “уважаемые гости” [dear guests], “уважаемые главы государств и делегаций, гости и друзья нашей страны” [dear heads of states and delegations, guests and friends of our country].

4) Lexical units, nominating the emotions of the speaker

The units, nominating the emotions of the speaker as “осознаю высокое доверие” [realize high trust], “выражаю искреннюю признательность” [express my sincere gratitude], “чувствую глубочайшая ответственность” [feel the deepest responsibility], “испытываю великую гордость” [feel great pride], “верю” [believe], “надеюсь” [hope], “горд” [proud], “признателен” [grateful], “благодарен” [thankful], “сердечно благодарю” [wholeheartedly grateful], “священный долг” [sacred duty], “огромная честь” [great honor], “великое доверие” [great trust], “искренняя поддержка” [sincere support] is peculiar to the genre of inaugural address. For instance,

“Вы вновь мне оказали высочайшее доверие, избрав Президентом Республики Казахстан.

Для меня огромная честь быть всенародно избранным Главой государства в год 20-летия Независимости, продолжить миссию Лидера уникальной многонациональной страны.

Я глубоко благодарен всем казахстанцам за искреннюю поддержку, которую мне оказали на этих выборах”.

[Having elected the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, you once again gave me the highest credit.

It is a great honor for me to be a nationally elected head of the state in the year of the 20th anniversary of Independence, to continue the mission of the Leader of a unique multinational country.

I am deeply grateful to all Kazakhstanis for their sincere support, which I was given in this election.]

5) Lexical units, nominating the ceremony

The peculiarities of inaugural genre include the units nominating the event, i.e. the ceremony of Inauguration. In his addresses the President uses such lexical items as “в эту торжественную минуту” [in this solemn minute], “исторический день” [historical day] in Russian and “айрықша айшықты күн” [special cheerful day], “мерейлі сәт” [glorious moment], “Қазақстан тарихының жаңа беті” [new page in the history of Kazakhstan] in Kazakh, to nominate the official activities.

6) Stylistic devices

The genre of the Inaugural Address obliges the president to use stylistic devices to decorate his speech and show his rhetorical abilities, qualities of a leader. Among the many stylistic devices, the following figures of speech are particularly distinguished:

- epithet: “столбовая дорога” [highway], “по свежим следам” [by fresh steps], “облеченные властью дилетанты” [amateurs clothed with power], “краткая череда лет” [short chain of years], “молодая независимость” [young independence], “твердой поступью” [with firm steps], “кровавый век” [bloody century], “бушующий современный мир” [fierce modern world], “с несгибаемой волей” [invincible will];

- metaphor: “немало государственных образований …, которые, как и люди, переживали свое детство, юность, зрелость, претерпевали упадок” [many state formations …, that like people, have outlasted their childhood, youth, adulthood, undergone decay], “земля мира и согласия” [land of peace and concordance], “жемчужина Евразии” [a pearl of Eurasia], “жемчужина степей” [a pearl of steppe], “непотопляемый наш государственный корабль” [our unsubmergible national barque];

- phraseological units: “стиснув зубы” [grit one's teeth], “горячая точка” [hotspot], “дольше века длится день” [a day longer that a century], “охота на ведьм” [whitch hunt], “возрождались из пепла” [reborn from the aches], “рай земной” [earthly paradise], “черный пиар” [smear campaining], “путевка в жизнь” [a start in life], “обрести плоть и кровь” [gain flesh and blood];

- personification: “история учит” [history teaches], “обнажившиеся границы” [bare borders], “мир не застыл на месте” [the world did not freeze];

- periphrasis: “на руинах распавшейся супердержавы” [on the ruins of collapsed superpower – USSR], “семья народов мира” [family of the world nations – the world].

7) Usage of professional terminology

Using political terminology is a peculiar feature of political communication. Using professional terminology allows the listeners to immerse the process of political communication. Political, economic, and juridical terminologies are broadly used in the inaugural addresses of N. Nazarbayev.

For instance, from the economic sphere: “рыночная экономика” [market economy], “экономическое сообщество” [economic community], “валютный фонд” [currency fund], “инфляция” [inflation], “экономический кризис” [economic crisis], “иностранный капитал” [foreign funds], “иностранные инвестиции”[foreign investments], “душевой доход” [per capita income], “валовый продукт” [gross product], “внутренний валовый продукт” [gross domestic product], etc., from the sphere of political sciences: “автаркия” [autarchy], “политический плюрализм” [political pluralism], “экстремизм” [extremism], “сепаратизм” [separatism], “бюрократия” [bureaucracy], “интернационализм” [internationalism], “демократия” [democracy], “многопартийность” [multiparty system], “политическая культура” [political culture], “меритократия” [meritocracy], etc., from the field of jurisprudence: “омбудсмен” [ombudsman], “суд присяжных” [jury trial], “мораторий на смертную казнь” [moratorium on the use of the death penalty], “свобода слова” [freedom of discussion], “собственности физических и юридических лиц” [individual and corporate assets], “судебная система” [juridical system].

8) Usage of abbreviations and acronyms

During the analysis, it was revealed that the inaugural addresses of the president of Kazakhstan contains acronyms such as “ВВП” [GDP], “ОБСЕ” [OSCE], “США” [US], “IPO”, “СМИ” [Mass Media], “СВМДА” [CICA], “ШОС” [SCO], “ОДКБ” [CSTO], “ОИК” [OIC], “НАТО” [NATO], “ЭКСПО” [EXPO], less often compounded-abbreviated words: “компромат” [compromising evidence], “госслужба” [civil service].

Frequent use of acronym abbreviations in political communication is determined by the high degree of density of transmitted information.

Thus, the analysis makes it possible to conclude that the Inaugural Addresses of the President of Kazakhstan possess all the constituent features of the genre of inauguration, while having its own lexical characteristics, which are determined by the cultural, traditional and socio-political identity of the country.

The use of political lexicon and terminology, words and phrases with an emotional and evaluative meaning, “elevated” style, stylistic devices are the distinctive lexical features of political discourse. These lexical techniques assist the President in demonstrating his oratory and leadership qualities, helps to maintain the solemn style, and influence the consciousness of listeners.

References

1. Baranov A.N. Vvedenie v prikladnuyu lingvistiku: Ucheb. posobie [Introduction to applied linguistics: Handbook]. Moscow: Editorial URSS, 2003. 360 p. (in Russian)

2. Teun A. van Dijk. Political discourse and Ideology. In Clara Ubaldina Lorda &  Montserrat Ribas (Eds.). Barcelona: Universitat Pompeu Fabra. IULA, 2002., Pp. 15-34

3. Teun A. van Dijk. van Dijk, Teun A. What is Political Discourse. Belgian Journal of Linguistics, 1997. Volume 11, Issue 1, Pp.11-52

4. James L. Horban Jr. Rhetorical Rituals of Rebirth. Quarterly Journal of Speech. 1980. No. 66., Pp. 282-283

5. Sheigal E.I. Inauguracionnoe obrashhenie kak zhanr politicheskogo diskursa. Zhanry rechi: Sbornik nauchn. statei. [Inaugural address as genre of political discourse. Genres of Speech: Collection of Sci. Art.]. 2002, No. 3. Pp. 205-214. (in Russian)

6. Shejgal E.I. Semiotika politicheskogo diskursa. Diss. na soiskanie uch. stepeni doktora filologicheskih nauk. Volgogradskii gosudarstvennyi pedagogicheskii universitet. [Semiotics of political discourse. Thesis in candidacy for scientific degree of Dsc of phil. Sc. Volgograd State Pedagogical University]. Volgograd, 2000. 440 p. (in Russian)