Language in Obamas Election Victory Speech - Case Study Example

Name: XXXXXX Course: XXXXXX Institution: XXXXXX Title: XXXXXX Date: XXXXXX Analysis of the Operation of Power through Language in Barrack Obama’s Election victory speech in 2008 Introduction Barrack Hussein Obama became the United States of America’s 44th president in November 2008, triumphing over Republican candidate John McCain in a historic presidential election that ushered into power America’s first African American president (Tomasky 2008). Prior to his election, Obama had risen to prominence from a little known senator of the 13th District in Illinois born of a Kenyan father and an American mother to a charismatic presidential candidate who would go on to win the election. One of the most outstanding features of the Obama campaign which swept him to victory was his effective use of rhetoric speeches. His campaign, headlined by the slogan “Yes We Can”, had been characterized by numerous speeches from his declaration of interest for the Democratic Party nomination in 2007, through his campaign in the Party caucuses as the contest narrowed down to between him and Hillary Clinton and to his presidential election campaign that pitted him against Republican candidate John McCain (Mieder 2009). Obama’s speeches, both during and after his successful campaign, have been described as sweeping, inspirational, persuasive and even poetic and were centered on the themes of hope and “Change We Can Believe In”. Shortly after his election, Obama would deliver his election victory speech to a global television audience and before a crowd of his supporters estimated at 240,000 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois on November 4, 2008 (Mieder 2009). As president elect, Obama thanked his supporters, his campaign team and his family for their role in his victory in the speech and took the opportunity to address several issues facing the United States. Most significantly, he used the speech to reaffirm his commitment to change (Change We Can Believe In) which had been a central theme of his campaign. This essay will analyze the operation of power through language in Barrack Obama’s famous 2008 election victory speech. The essay will conduct a critical discourse analysis using Obama’s election victory speech as the text or the data to show the discursive sources of power and how it is initiated, reproduced, maintained and transformed within specific social, economic, political, and historical contexts (Van Dijk, 1988). The essay will first briefly describe critical discourse analysis and it interest in the relationship between language and power. The essay will then describe the text and illustrate why it is being analysed by illustrating its importance the operation of power through language. The essay show how the text is constructed by focusing on linguistic features such as word order, stress and intonation, coherence, topic choice, speech acts, rhetorical figures, schematic organization, propositional structures, local semantic moves, propositional structures and hesitation. In conclusion, the essay will briefly discuss what the analysis reveals about power relations both in America and globally. Language and Power in Critical Discourse Analysis The relationship between power and language is one of the perceived interests of critical discourse analysis. Critical discourse analysis is fundamentally concerned with the analysis of “opaque as well as transparent structural relationships of dominance, discrimination, power and control as manifested in language” (Wodak et al 2001, p.2). It has also been defined as a type of discourse analytical research that primarily studies the way social power abuse, dominance and inequality are enacted, reproduced and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context (O’Halloran, 2003, p.11). Critical text/discourse analysis therefore studies the connections or linkages between textual structures as used in language (or text) and their function within interaction in society especially in creating and maintaining differences in power relations (underlying power structures in society). The focus on textual structures, or the content of language, also seeks to uncover or to make the ideological systems and representations embedded in language transparent and to show how they are related to broader social order (Fairclough 1995, Bourdieu 1991). Ideologies, according to Fairclough (1995) are representations of some aspect of the world which have become naturalized in language. Therefore, critical discourse analysis seeks to “denaturalize” them. Underscoring the interest of critical discourse analysis in the relationship between language and power, Wodak (1996, p.18) indicates in the second of his eight principles of critical discourse analysis that “power relations are discursive”, which implies that focusing on discourse is essentially focusing on how power operates through language. The relationship between language (discourse) and power is captured in one of the dimensions of Foucault’s vision of power- “It is in discourse that power and knowledge are joined together” (Foucault 1980, p100). Therefore, through critical discourse analysis, we move from seeing language as an abstract concept or construction to seeing the words that are used in various texts as having meanings within particular political, historical and social conditions. How a speaker communicates with his audience in terms of intonation, body language, the words and the type of language that he chooses to use (or not use) can convey powerful meanings to the hearer. Critical discourse analysis is often used to analyze speeches made by politicians or popular personalities, to interpret them and to uncover hidden meanings. The Election Victory Speech Obama’s election victory speech was delivered to an audience of an estimated 240,000 supporters at Grant Park in his home town of Chicago, Illinois and a global television and internet audience that had been keenly following the American presidential election (Mieder 2009, Tomasky 2008). Obama’s presidential campaign had increasingly captured global attention well beyond the borders of the United States of America and in less than a year the charismatic senator from Illinois had become a renowned personality and an iconic figure in American politics. Obama would ride on a wave of popularity to contest and win the Democratic Party nomination against Hillary Clinton (Tomasky 2008). Having secured the nomination, Obama would spearhead a well orchestrated campaign characterized by record breaking fundraising and the use of sweeping rhetoric embodied in the themes of “Change We Can Believe In” and “Hope” (Tomasky 2008). Obama’s victory was set against the backdrop of economic and political turmoil as the United States was experiencing a financial crisis as well as challenges over the legitimacy of its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (Mieder 2009). One of the most significant factors that contributed to Obama’s popularity was his charisma and his eloquence in speech. After delivering the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004, he became increasingly popular for his eloquent, moving and well crafted speeches which would prove instrumental in his successful campaigns. He was renowned for his mastery of rhetoric in his speeches which would often generate emotional responses from audiences both domestically and internationally (Mieder 2009). Another factor was his descent. Obama was borne of a Kenyan father and an American mother of English ancestry. His candidature had presented the first real possibility of an African American president in the United States of America and had been increasingly viewed by large sections of African Americans as a fulfillment of the ideals of the American Civil Rights Movement as well as reaffirmation of the grand American narrative that America was a land of opportunity where the most ambitious dreams could be fulfilled- a notion that he has repeatedly alluded to in his speeches (Mieder 2009). Therefore, although seldom discussed or acknowledged, there was a race factor at play during his campaign which made him immensely popular among African Americans. At the start of his speech, Obama would declare that the United States of America had proven to the world that it is a place “where all things are possible”, claiming that through his election, Americans from all walks of life had answered doubters and cynics of the American Dream. Obama would thank his supporters, his campaign team and his family for their contributions to the victory. He would also reach out to those who hadn’t voted for him, letting them know that he was their president too and that he would serve them as well. He would declare that “change has come to America”, portraying his election victory as a victory for the American people and making reference to the various struggles that Americans had endured and the sacrifices that they had made. He mentioned the challenges on the road ahead, of brave soldiers in Afghanistan, of creating jobs, of providing affordable housing and healthcare. He decried the partisanship, pettiness and immaturity which had poisoned American politics. He also addressed America’s enemies, promising to defeat them, and inviting America’s friends to work with him. His speech would allude to the inaugural speeches made by former presidents John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln and echoed Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”. Language and Power in the Obama Election Victory Speech Obama’s election victory speech in 2008 is a significant event and text in American and international political history. The speech marked a watershed moment in American history when an African American was first elected as the head of state in a historic election. Over the course of his campaign, he had become an influential and iconic figure and a global celebrity with unmatched popularity and a near cult-like following. His election victory speech provided him with the opportunity and a platform to address the world for the first time as president-elect of the United States of America and to reaffirm the commitments to change he had made in his campaign (Mieder 2009). The significance of the speech was enhanced by the massive global television audience and the millions who had keenly and fanatically followed the Obama campaign and had eagerly anticipated his victory over John McCain. As earlier discussed, critical discourse analysis studies the linkages between text and underlying power structures in society to uncover the ideological systems and representations in language. Critical discourse analysis has been used to interpret influential speeches by popular politicians and to uncover or make transparent their ideologies and how they are related to broader social order. Obama’s election victory speech was a very powerful speech at a time when the United States of America was facing an economic crisis and public opinion had swung against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In his victory speech, Obama refers to the fact that “change has come to America”, signifying an ideological shift. A critical discourse analysis of Obama’s speech would show how power relations in society-through themes such as inequality, dominance and social power abuse-are enacted, reproduced and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context’( O’Halloran, 2003,p.11). Ideologically, Obama makes reference to the “enduring power of America’s ideals-democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope. He refers to America’s history of racial and gender inequality where survivors of the American Civil Rights Movement such as 106 year old Ann Nixon Cooper were not allowed to vote because they were black and they were women and notes the progress made. He refers to the struggle for political power between Democrats and Republicans, acknowledging that it was a man from Illinois “who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House” and the ideals of the Republican Party. He refers to the economic challenges faced by Americans in accessing affordable housing and healthcare, noting the destructive effects of the financial crisis on the poor. He also speaks of the United States of America’s position in world politics and of brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The speech also alludes to significant events in American history such as the Declaration of Independence and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The numerous references to ideology and power relations therefore make Obama’s speech a text relevant for analysis of the operation of power through language. The Analysis This analysis of Obama’s election victory speech will mainly focus on the linguistic aspects of the speech. The analysis will show how power relations within social and political contexts are reproduced, enacted or resisted in Obama’s speech. Word Order The order of Obama’s speech is organized from the beginning to focus on particular themes and transition from one issue area to another. Obama begins the speech by alluding to the American dream, that it is “a place where all things are possible” (1-10). He refers to the power of American democracy and to the multicultural society that is America by referring to the diversity of the voters who had made his victory possible- “young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled (8-12).” The order of his words is organized from the beginning to build up to his epiphany, “It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America (19).” The speech then progresses to thanking those who have contributed to his victory before he reaffirms that the victory is not his, but for the people (25-40). (55) to (65) focus on the task ahead while (65) to (75) emphasizes on the need to rebuild the nation. Between (75) and (95), Obama reminds Americans of the need to be united and in (95) to (105) he addresses the international community. Between (105) and (130), Obama narrates America’s historical struggles, ending each phase with the refrain “Yes We Can” and concludes the speech by reminding Americans that “This is our moment” (134) and “This is our time” (135). Stress, Intonation and Coherence Obama’s speech had been carefully written by his speechwriters for what was the conclusion to a historical election. It was necessary that Obama deliver it in a coherent and logical manner for it to have the impact that it was intended to. The tone of Obama’s voice in the speech was authoritative and commanding yet still captivating the audience. While he constantly reminds America of their historical struggles and emphasizes the need for national unity and patience, he reassures them that change has come. His voice is firm when he affirms to those who would tear the world down-“we will defeat you (95)”. This is an apparent reference to his foreign policy towards terrorist groups and “rogue” states. He invokes the speeches of Abraham Lincoln, John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to remind Americans of the need to remain united and focused. He is well aware of the historical significance of his speech and that his audience is global and responds accordingly to the applause of the crowd which indicates that his speech is well received. Local Semantic Moves Obama uses a number of semantics to enrich and embolden his message. He reminds Americans that “our climb will be steep” and that they have to rebuild America “block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.” The choice of these words is meant to inspire his audience and reaffirm his commitment to his campaign promises. Speech Acts and Schematic Organization Throughout the speech, Obama shows that he is as gifted in the art of speaking as he is charismatic. Aware that he is being eagerly watched by a global audience, he speaks boldly to the aspirations of all Americans. He also reaches out to those who had not voted for him or who would disagree with his policies, promising that he is their president too and that he will listen to them, especially when they disagree. He also varies his tone depending on who he is addressing, speaking warmly when showing gratitude to his family and campaign team while speaking sternly when addressing those who “would tear the world down”. He punctuates his speech with subtle gestures for emphasis, such as leaning into the microphone and slightly raising one hand while addressing serious issues and leaning away from it when the mood is relaxed. As the speech nears it conclusion, he reverts to his famous rhetoric refrain “Yes We Can” to raucous applause from the crowd showing his ability to inspire. Obama is also skilled in generating optimism and being pragmatic in his statements. In (60) he proclaims that “There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.” In (70), he is pragmatic about how America will be rebuilt, “block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.” In the concluding part of his speech (135-140) and with urgency in his voice, he tells Americans “This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes, we can.” Propositional Structures and Hesitation Throughout the delivery of his speech, Obama uses hesitation to make sure the message of his speech sinks in. As he transitions from one issue to another, he hesitates slightly to allow the audience to react to the message. He also structures his sentences as the speech draws to a conclusion by using rhetoric to draw the applause of the audience between (105) and (130) as he narrates America’s history through the experiences of 106 year old Ann Nixon Cooper. He punctuates each sentence with the rhetorical refrain “Yes We Can” to applause from the crowd. Change The central theme of Obama’s election victory the speech is change. Throughout the speech and in his references to America’s social, political and economic history, Obama uses several strategically placed words to communicate to his audience that he intends to empower the underprivileged and the disadvantaged. He proclaims that “change has come to America” in (19) and in (105) “America can change”. Results of the Analysis The analysis of Obama’s speech illustrates how power operates through language. Through different linguistic markers, the analysis has shown that Obama’s speech as a text was carefully constructed to emphasize on the central themes of change and hope. By leading his audience to the epiphany that “Change has come to America” and the strategic use of the refrain “Yes We Can”, Obama delivered a powerful speech that was able to inspire optimism and confidence from his audience. Obama has unique presentational and rhetorical skills which come out in the speech. He invokes the speeches of Lincoln, Kennedy and Martin Luther King to urge his audience of the need to remain united as a prerequisite for nation building. The speech invokes several historical injustices in American society such as slavery, segregation and civil war. the analysis also shows America’s dominant position in world politics-“ tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope (100).” Conclusion Critical discourse analysis can be used to analyze the operation of power through language by showing how power, dominance and inequality is enacted, reproduced and resisted by text and talk in the social and political context. Critical discourse analysis also seeks to “denaturalize” ideological representations in text. The analysis of Obama’s election victory speech using several linguistic markers has revealed the underlying power structure in American society, highlighting how historical injustices have contributed to the economic situation of many Americans who are struggling. The language in the speech also shows America’s position globally with references to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the threat made by Obama to terrorists to defeat them. Ideologically, the speech also reaffirms Americans’ belief in the superiority of their libertarian democratic ideals and gives insight into the values of the Democratic and Republican parties. References Bourdieu, P 1991, Language and symbolic power, Oxford: Polity Press. Fairclough, N 1989, Language and Power, London: Longman. Fairclough, N1995, Critical discourse analysis, London: Longman. Foucault, M 1980, Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews & Other Writings, 1972-1977, New York: Pamtheon Books. Mieder, W 2009, "Yes We Can": Barack Obama's Proverbial Rhetoric, Vermont: Peter Lang. O’Halloran, K 2003, Critical Discourse Analysis, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.  Obama, B 2008. 'Full text: Obama's victory speech' (online). BBC.co.uk. Published on 05/11/08. Retrieved on 1 November, 2012 from Tomasky, M 2008, '12 months that changed the world’. The Guardian, 15 December. Retrieved on 1 November, 2012 from < http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/15/1> Van Dijk, TA 1999, ‘Critical discourse analysis and conversation analysis’, Discourse and Society, Vol. 10, No.4, pp 459-450. Wodak R 1996, Disorders of Discourse, London: Longman. Wodak, R & Meyer, M 2001, Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis, London: Sage. Read More