Issue
Authors retain the copyright without restrictions for their published content in this journal. HSSR is a SHERPA ROMEO Green Journal.
Publishing License
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of
POLITICS AS RHETORIC: A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PAKISTANI POLITICIANS' PRESS STATEMENTS
Corresponding Author(s) : Abdul Waheed Qureshi
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 9 No. 3 (2021): May
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This paper aims at unveiling the linguistic repertoire through the analysis of the press statements of the leading figures of the then ruling party of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group) - PMLN and the opposition party there (Pakistan People’s Party (Parliamentarians) - PPPP. The main focus of this research is to reveal the language game of key politicians who seem anxious to complete their tenure irrespective of the issues faced by the people and usurpation of their basic rights.
Methodology: For highlighting the hidden meanings in language usage, the researchers have deployed the approach of Gee’s (2011) seven building tasks of language, for the accomplishment of the study objective.
Main Findings: The study findings indicate the manipulation and exploitation of the public by politicians through the game of words, shrouded in manifestos of prosperity/development, leading consequently to deterioration of the law-and-order situation, unemployment, nepotism, poverty, and black-marketing.
Applications of the Study: The Study can help those working in critical linguistics, discourse studies, hermeneutics, and textual studies.
Novelty/Originality of the Study: The study is significant and unique because it is the first of its kind that makes the discourse opposition party a holistic one by focusing on the perspectives of the key figures of the opposition in government. It is not a case study related to a single politician and their outlook(s).
Keywords
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Alvi, S. D., Baseer, A. (2016). An investigation of the political discourse of the Obama's selected speeches: a hallidian perspective. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(16), 57-63.
- Bilawal (2017). In the party manifesto, priority will be given to industry and agriculture. پا رٹی منشو ر میں صنعت Ùˆ ز را عت Ú©Ùˆ تر Ø¬ÛŒØ Ø¯ÛŒÚº Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]
- Cameron, D. (2017). The teacher's guide to grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Chief Minister Sindh. (2017). Informed the Prime Minister about deaths, heavy toll during motorway construction. Ø¢ گا Û Ú©Ø± دیا وزیر Ø¢ عظم Ú©Ùˆ مو ٹر Ùˆ Û’ بننے میں اموات, بھا ری ٹول ٹیکس سے [Press statement in the Daily Express]
- Coulthard, M. (2016). An introduction to discourse analysis. Applied Linguistics and Language Study. Harlow, UK: Longman, (2nd ed.).
- Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and Purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j. ajtas.20160501.11 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
- Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis. London: Longman.
- Fairclough, N., & Wodak, R. (1997) Critical discourse analysis. In van Dijk, T. (ed.). Discourse as social interaction, 2(3), 258-284.
- Fairclough, N. (2000). Discourse, social theory and social research: the case of welfare reform. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 4(1), 163–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00110 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00110
- Fasold, R. (2017). Sociolinguistics of language. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Gee, J. P. (2010). How to do discourse analysis: A toolkit. Tylor and Francis: New York, (1st ed.). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850992 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850992
- Gee, J. P. (2011). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method. Routledge: New York, (3rd ed.).
- Hansen, L. (2016). Security as practice: Discourse analysis and the Bosnian war. The New International Relations, 12(2), 451-462.
- Harvey, D. (2016). Justice, nature and the geography of difference. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Howarth, D. (2017). 'Discourse'. Concepts in the Social Sciences. Buckingham: Open University Press.
- Jalilifar, A. R., & Alavi, M. (2017). Power and politics of language use: A survey of hedging devices in political interviews. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 7(4), 342-361.
- Jørgensen, M., & Phillips, L. (2012). Discourse analysis: As theory and method. London: Sage.
- Luu, C. (2016). The linguistics of mass persuasion: How politicians make "fetch." happen (part 1). Retrieved on April 29, 2021, from https://daily.jstor.org/the-linguistics-of-mass-persuasion-how-politicians-make-fetch-happen/
- Mills, S. (1997). 'Discourse'. The New Critical Idiom. London: Routledge.
- Nisar, C. (2017). Bringing the sharp judicial system against the terrorists.دÛشتگردوںکے خلا٠تیز ترین علالتی نظام لا رÛÛ’ Ûیں [Press statement in the Daily Express]
- Payne, M., & Barbera, R. J. (2010). A dictionary of cultural and critical theory. West Sussex: Wiley- Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444323450 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444323450
- Qureshi, W. A. (2014). Oppression of women in patriarchal societies: An analytical study of Anita Shreve's novels (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- 23. Ramsay, G. (2018). Shaping minds: A discourse analysis of Chinese language Community mental health literature. Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture, 32. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
- Rocci, A. (2009). Doing discourse analysis with possible worlds. In Renkema, J. (Ed.), Discourse, of course: An overview of research in discourse studies, 3(5), 15-35. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.148.03roc DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/z.148.03roc
- Sharif, S. (2017). Every promise made to the people. Load shedding will finish by the end of the year.
- سا Ù„ Ú©Û’ Ø¢ خر تک لو Úˆ شید Ù†Ú¯ ختم ÛÙˆ جاۓ Ú¯ÛŒ عوام سے کیا گیا Ûر ÙˆØ¹Ø¯Û Ù¾ÙˆØ±Ø§ کریں Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]
- Ullah, M. (2020). Women empowerment and social development in Afghanistan through micro finance. International Journal of Academic Research in business and Social Sciences, 10(12), 377-389 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i12/8324
- Van Dijk, T. A. (1989). Structures of discourse and structures of power. In J. A. Anderson (ed.), Communication Yearbook, 12, 18–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.1989.11678711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.1989.11678711
- Van Dijk, T. A. (2015). Text and context of parliamentary debates. In P. Bayley (ed.). Cross-Cultural Perspective on Parliamentary Discourse, 339-372. Amsterdam: Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/dap sac.10.10dij DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.10.10dij
- Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2018). Methods of critical discourse analysis. London: Sage.
- Zardari, (2017). Previously also, we made the government with ninety seats, now too will do the same. Ù¾ÛÙ„Û’ بھی نوے سیٹوں سے Øکومت بنائی اب بھی ایسا کریں Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]
References
Alvi, S. D., Baseer, A. (2016). An investigation of the political discourse of the Obama's selected speeches: a hallidian perspective. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(16), 57-63.
Bilawal (2017). In the party manifesto, priority will be given to industry and agriculture. پا رٹی منشو ر میں صنعت Ùˆ ز را عت Ú©Ùˆ تر Ø¬ÛŒØ Ø¯ÛŒÚº Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]
Cameron, D. (2017). The teacher's guide to grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chief Minister Sindh. (2017). Informed the Prime Minister about deaths, heavy toll during motorway construction. Ø¢ گا Û Ú©Ø± دیا وزیر Ø¢ عظم Ú©Ùˆ مو ٹر Ùˆ Û’ بننے میں اموات, بھا ری ٹول ٹیکس سے [Press statement in the Daily Express]
Coulthard, M. (2016). An introduction to discourse analysis. Applied Linguistics and Language Study. Harlow, UK: Longman, (2nd ed.).
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and Purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j. ajtas.20160501.11 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis. London: Longman.
Fairclough, N., & Wodak, R. (1997) Critical discourse analysis. In van Dijk, T. (ed.). Discourse as social interaction, 2(3), 258-284.
Fairclough, N. (2000). Discourse, social theory and social research: the case of welfare reform. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 4(1), 163–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00110 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00110
Fasold, R. (2017). Sociolinguistics of language. Oxford: Blackwell.
Gee, J. P. (2010). How to do discourse analysis: A toolkit. Tylor and Francis: New York, (1st ed.). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850992 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850992
Gee, J. P. (2011). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method. Routledge: New York, (3rd ed.).
Hansen, L. (2016). Security as practice: Discourse analysis and the Bosnian war. The New International Relations, 12(2), 451-462.
Harvey, D. (2016). Justice, nature and the geography of difference. Oxford: Blackwell.
Howarth, D. (2017). 'Discourse'. Concepts in the Social Sciences. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Jalilifar, A. R., & Alavi, M. (2017). Power and politics of language use: A survey of hedging devices in political interviews. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 7(4), 342-361.
Jørgensen, M., & Phillips, L. (2012). Discourse analysis: As theory and method. London: Sage.
Luu, C. (2016). The linguistics of mass persuasion: How politicians make "fetch." happen (part 1). Retrieved on April 29, 2021, from https://daily.jstor.org/the-linguistics-of-mass-persuasion-how-politicians-make-fetch-happen/
Mills, S. (1997). 'Discourse'. The New Critical Idiom. London: Routledge.
Nisar, C. (2017). Bringing the sharp judicial system against the terrorists.دÛشتگردوںکے خلا٠تیز ترین علالتی نظام لا رÛÛ’ Ûیں [Press statement in the Daily Express]
Payne, M., & Barbera, R. J. (2010). A dictionary of cultural and critical theory. West Sussex: Wiley- Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444323450 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444323450
Qureshi, W. A. (2014). Oppression of women in patriarchal societies: An analytical study of Anita Shreve's novels (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
23. Ramsay, G. (2018). Shaping minds: A discourse analysis of Chinese language Community mental health literature. Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture, 32. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Rocci, A. (2009). Doing discourse analysis with possible worlds. In Renkema, J. (Ed.), Discourse, of course: An overview of research in discourse studies, 3(5), 15-35. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.148.03roc DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/z.148.03roc
Sharif, S. (2017). Every promise made to the people. Load shedding will finish by the end of the year.
سا Ù„ Ú©Û’ Ø¢ خر تک لو Úˆ شید Ù†Ú¯ ختم ÛÙˆ جاۓ Ú¯ÛŒ عوام سے کیا گیا Ûر ÙˆØ¹Ø¯Û Ù¾ÙˆØ±Ø§ کریں Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]
Ullah, M. (2020). Women empowerment and social development in Afghanistan through micro finance. International Journal of Academic Research in business and Social Sciences, 10(12), 377-389 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i12/8324
Van Dijk, T. A. (1989). Structures of discourse and structures of power. In J. A. Anderson (ed.), Communication Yearbook, 12, 18–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.1989.11678711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.1989.11678711
Van Dijk, T. A. (2015). Text and context of parliamentary debates. In P. Bayley (ed.). Cross-Cultural Perspective on Parliamentary Discourse, 339-372. Amsterdam: Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/dap sac.10.10dij DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.10.10dij
Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2018). Methods of critical discourse analysis. London: Sage.
Zardari, (2017). Previously also, we made the government with ninety seats, now too will do the same. Ù¾ÛÙ„Û’ بھی نوے سیٹوں سے Øکومت بنائی اب بھی ایسا کریں Ú¯Û’ [Press statement in the Daily Express]