Presenting Others' Messages in Political Discourses

Abstract

This study examines the diverse types of strategies might politicians (Obama in specific) use in presenting others’ messages in their speeches and the particular reasons behind the use of specific strategies in presenting others’ messages in Obama’s political speech. The study adopts the critical stylistics which arose as a useful method for addressing ideology in language and served as a link between stylistics and critical studies. Jeffries suggests a variety of tools can be used to demonstrate how texts often influence readers to change their ideological viewpoints in order to align with the viewpoints of the texts' authors. The study uses “Presenting Other’s Speech and Thoughts” since this tool, as a feature of meaning, works at the level of text and can perform in forms of direct or indirect quotations. Further, the current tool's ideological effect allows the text creator to simply and safely attribute other people's ideas and words without risk of legal action, particularly when there is also modality involved. The study finds that politician aims to build credibility through quoting experts or respected figures adds authority to the politician's own message. Additionally, politicians appeal to specific audiencesby incorporating messages from constituents or relevant groups, the politician demonstrates they're in touch with their audience's concerns. Moreover, politicians also aims to creating contrast by theindirect referencing opposing viewpoints can be used to highlight the politician's own stance on an issue, and it is heavily used by American presidents indeed. Finally, Politicians, especially Americans, insist on maintaining control of the narrative cause paraphrasing allows them to subtly shape the message to fit their agenda.