Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number 4 December 2022 Pp.412-426
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no4.27
Genre-Based Analysis of Selected Political Debates: A Discourse Analysis Study
Muruj Basim Issa
Department of English, College of Education for Women
University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Corresponding Author: morouj.bassem1203a@coeduw.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Nawal Fadhil Abbas
Department of English, College of Education for Women
University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Email: nawal_fa71@yahoo.com
Received:06/25/2022 Accepted: 11/22/2022 Published: 12/15/2022
Abstract:
The researchers of the present study have conducted a genre analysis of two political debates between American presidential nominees in the 2016 and 2020 elections. The current study seeks to analyze the cognitive construction of political debates to evaluate the typical moves and strategies politicians use to express their communicative intentions and to reveal the language manifestations of those moves and strategies. To achieve the study’s aims, the researchers adopt Bhatia’s (1993) framework of cognitive construction supported by van Emeren’s (2010) pragma-dialectic framework. The study demonstrates that both presidents adhere to this genre structuring to further their political agendas. For a positive and promising image, presidents focus on highlighting domestic and international issues to reflect leadership. On the other hand, highlighting controversies and defense strategies appear to be prominent in debate in consensus with the contemplative nature of this genre. Discoursal devices like polarized lexicalization and actor description are vital in orienting the controversies and influence with the aid of in-group pronouns, representative speech acts, and national/self-glorification.
Keywords: Bhatia, discourse analysis, moves, political debates, Pragma- Dialectic
Cite as: Issa.M. B., & Abbas, N. F. (2022). Genre-Based Analysis of Selected Political Debates: A Discourse Analysis Study
Arab World English Journal, 13 (4) 412-426.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no4.27
References:
Khalil, H. H. & Abbas, N. F. (2018). Iraq in the American Presidential Debate Discourse: A Critical Discourse Analysis. International Journal of English Linguistics, 8(2), 260-278. http://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v8n2p260.
Akbar, N. F. H. & Abbas, N. F. (2019). Negative Other-Representation in American Political Speeches. International Journal of English Linguistics, 9 (2), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v9n2p113
Andrew, D. T. (1996). Popular Culture and Public Debate. The Historical Journal, 39 (02), 406. Cambridge: Cambridge.
Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. London: Longman.
Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1978). Universals in Language Usage: Politeness Phenomena. In E. Goody (Ed.), Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction, (pp. 56-310). Cambridge: Cambridge.
Charteris-Black, J. (2005). Politicians and rhetoric: The persuasive power of metaphor. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Eemeren, F.H. van. (2010). Strategic Maneuvering in Argumentative Discourse. Extending the Pragma-Dialectical Theory of Argumentation, Amsterdam-Philadelphia, John Benjamins.
Fairclough & Fairclough (2013). Political discourse analysis: A method for advanced students. Routledge.
Fischer, F. (2012). The argumentative turn revisited: public policy as communicative practice. Duke University Press.
Hyland, K. (2009). Academic Discourse. Continuum Discourse Series.
Koch, J. P. (2020). How to make presidential debates serve voters, not candidates. The Conversation; theconversation.com. https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-presidential-debates-serve-voters-not-candidates-122919
Liu, F. (2012). Genre Analysis of American Presidential Inaugural Speech. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2 (11), 2407-2411.
Martin, J. R. (1984). Language, register and genre. In F. Christie (Ed.), Children Writing: Reader, (pp.21-290). Geelong: Deakin University Press.
Searle, J. (1975). Indirect Speech Act. In Cole and Morgan (Eds.) Syntax and Semantics Vol.3.New York: Academic Press.
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2008). Introduction to mixed method and mixed model studies in social and behavioral science. In V.L. Plano-Clark & J. W. Creswell (Eds.), The Mixed Methods Reader, (pp. 7-26). Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Trimble, L. (1985). English for science and technology: a discourse approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Van Dijk, T., V. (1995). Ideological Discourse Analysis. New Courant, 4(1), 135-161.
Van Dijk, T., V. (2006). Ideology and Discourse: A Multidisciplinary Introduction. Barcelona: Pompeu Fabra University. https://www.academia.edu/7791056/Teun_A_van_Dijk_Ideology_and_Discourse
Zhan, L. (2012). Understanding Genre in Use. Concentric: Studies in Linguistics, 38(2), 211-235.