Charlotte Corrigan
Explore how male political leaders from
the UK and USA use language to
influence their audiences.
Charlotte Corrigan
1
, Charlotte Corrigan
Introduction
Political scientist, Noam Chomsky, explored how language is a powerful weapon in politics. 1
He posited the view that words, in particular, are used as a form of currency in elections and
in political speeches. With this theory in mind, I was intrigued as to whether politicians on
either side of the Atlantic use language in similar or differing ways. Jacques Derrida argued
that language influences thought.2 This prompted me to consider how two male politicians
can use language to reflect their political ideologies and influence their electorate to invest
in their ideas and beliefs. It bemused me, at the time, how the American public chose
Donald Trump as their leader and how this individual utilised language to win over the
voting American public. I will explore how the speakers use language to meet the needs and
ideologies of their distinctive audience. I would like to deconstruct and explore how political
speeches appeal to the audience and how a politician achieves congruence between
themselves and the voting public. How does a world leader utilise their linguistic choices to
influence, inspire and build a connection with their target audience?
Dwight Bollinger suggests that ‘Language is a Loaded Weapon’.3 In his book, he suggests
that words possess a ‘latent power’ and are ‘biased’.4 It is this ‘power’ that many politicians
utilise to influence the electorate and persuade people that their ideas have value.
Furthermore, ‘loaded’ words can affect people’s perceptions and they can be used to
convince them that what they are saying is truthful and honest. 5 In many cases, Bollinger
suggests that a ‘charlatan can pass for a scientist’ by sounding like one.6 In this vein, many
politicians can come across as credible, even though they may have unscrupulous motives
and not be equipped to lead a country. I aim to explore the ways in which Johnson and
Trump utilise language to help them to gain power through influencing their audiences. One
aspect that I am particularly interested to explore is the power of figurative language and
how politicians wield the semantic associations with a phrase to cultivate a positive view of
their ideas. Also, politicians often use allusion to create positive associations in the minds of
the voting public and gain support.
1
Chomsky, N. (2006) Language and Mind, 1st edn., New York: Cambridge University Press.
2
Sallis, J. (1983) Deconstruction and Philosophy: The Texts of Jacques Derrida, 2nd edn., Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
3
Bolinger, D. (1994) Language – The Loaded Weapon, 11th edn., New York: Longman Inc.
4
Ibid
5
Ibid
6
Ibid
2
Explore how male political leaders from
the UK and USA use language to
influence their audiences.
Charlotte Corrigan
1
, Charlotte Corrigan
Introduction
Political scientist, Noam Chomsky, explored how language is a powerful weapon in politics. 1
He posited the view that words, in particular, are used as a form of currency in elections and
in political speeches. With this theory in mind, I was intrigued as to whether politicians on
either side of the Atlantic use language in similar or differing ways. Jacques Derrida argued
that language influences thought.2 This prompted me to consider how two male politicians
can use language to reflect their political ideologies and influence their electorate to invest
in their ideas and beliefs. It bemused me, at the time, how the American public chose
Donald Trump as their leader and how this individual utilised language to win over the
voting American public. I will explore how the speakers use language to meet the needs and
ideologies of their distinctive audience. I would like to deconstruct and explore how political
speeches appeal to the audience and how a politician achieves congruence between
themselves and the voting public. How does a world leader utilise their linguistic choices to
influence, inspire and build a connection with their target audience?
Dwight Bollinger suggests that ‘Language is a Loaded Weapon’.3 In his book, he suggests
that words possess a ‘latent power’ and are ‘biased’.4 It is this ‘power’ that many politicians
utilise to influence the electorate and persuade people that their ideas have value.
Furthermore, ‘loaded’ words can affect people’s perceptions and they can be used to
convince them that what they are saying is truthful and honest. 5 In many cases, Bollinger
suggests that a ‘charlatan can pass for a scientist’ by sounding like one.6 In this vein, many
politicians can come across as credible, even though they may have unscrupulous motives
and not be equipped to lead a country. I aim to explore the ways in which Johnson and
Trump utilise language to help them to gain power through influencing their audiences. One
aspect that I am particularly interested to explore is the power of figurative language and
how politicians wield the semantic associations with a phrase to cultivate a positive view of
their ideas. Also, politicians often use allusion to create positive associations in the minds of
the voting public and gain support.
1
Chomsky, N. (2006) Language and Mind, 1st edn., New York: Cambridge University Press.
2
Sallis, J. (1983) Deconstruction and Philosophy: The Texts of Jacques Derrida, 2nd edn., Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
3
Bolinger, D. (1994) Language – The Loaded Weapon, 11th edn., New York: Longman Inc.
4
Ibid
5
Ibid
6
Ibid
2
