In the face of a threat: A study of political discourse based on the speeches of American presidents

Abstract

Analysis of the structural elements of the media space and communication mechanisms that shape the information picture of the world and construct the image of socially significant facts remains relevant in the eventful context of modern life; each time it requires fresh empirical material for research. The article analyzes State of the Union addresses of US Presidents in 2003 and 2022 — by George W. Bush and J. Biden — to identify the crypto components, or hidden aspects of leadership that are manifested in both speeches. The choice of sources is related to the current situation in the world, in which one can see some similarities with the context of the presidential speech twenty years ago. The study of texts included two stages: quantitative content analysis and qualitative discourse analysis. To highlight the semantic priorities of the texts, the methods of quantitative linguistics were used; calculating the frequency of linguistic units made it possible to determine the key words of the discourse and its main conceptual vectors. The qualitative analysis of the semantic and pragmatic aspects of information showed that both speeches were characterized by the use of such strategies as generalization, example, amplification, concession, repetition, and contrast. The study revealed that many common features in the speeches were due to the specifics of the genre — both in the lexical content and in the choice of strategies for influencing the audience. Both speeches contain a large number of units referring to the socio-political realities of the era; in their structure, the role of personal pronouns is extremely high, which helps create images of politicians with outstanding leadership qualities that are necessary to unite their people. The analysis also made it possible to highlight a number of peculiarities, both in the agenda and in the choice of means of expression.