Characteristics of Australian Political Language Rhetoric Tactics of gaining public support and shirking responsibility 英语专业毕业论文.doc

Characteristics of Australian Political Language Rhetoric: Tactics of gaining public support and shirking responsibility Abstract The article explores how language can been used as a resource of cultural value and creative power in Australian English. The paper reveals how Australian politicians use political language rhetoric as a powerful tool in gaining political advantages. Several segments of so-called public discourse have been analysed, but the author mainly focuses on two areas of speech: how politicians use their language skills in gaining public support, and how they shirk responsibility. Special discoursal features of these speeches have been compiled and categorised. The speeches are studied from the various angles of discourse analysis and political rhetoric techniques. keywords: public discourse, Australian political discourse, discoursal features, political rhetoric techniques, targeting strategy, enforcement strategy, avoidance strategy. Introduction Language is a weapon and a powerful tool in winning public support, especially during the current information revolution period. Rhetoric can be seen as a cultural tradition, the linguistic self-consciousness, the skills and methodologies brought into play in shaping the convictions of particular audiences – it is also a powerful weapon in the struggle of community against community, worldview against worldview. Rhetoric thereby comes to be viewed as the tool of particular interests, and therefore as a linguistic means for improving a politician’s life. Political discourse is a mixed product of personal development and the relevant social environment in which an individual grows. Any individual political discourse is the result of personal development in certain social settings. Personal development is affected by such factors as the impact a cultural environment has upon the process in which the individual develops his/her personality, the individual’s educational experiences, parental influenc