University of Ghent English Linguistics Master Dissertation 2007 - 2008 Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama A linguistic study of appraisal in political speeches Promoted by Prof. Dr. Anne -Marie Simon-Vandenbergen Sylvie Opstaele Master Linguistics and Literature English - German Content Preface 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 3 1.1. Aim ................................................................................................................. 3 1.2. Data ................................................................................................................ 4 2. Presidential Election 2008 ....................................................................................... 5 2.1. The Road to the White House ........................................................................ 5 2.2. Main Issues..................................................................................................... 8 2.3. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ............................................................... 10 2.3.1. Hillary Clinton .................................................................................................... 11 2.3.2. Barack Obama .................................................................................................... 13 3. Political Language ................................................................................................... 16 3.1. Institutional Discourse ................................................................................. 16 3.2. Political Language ........................................................................................ 18 3.3. Political Speech ............................................................................................ 21 4. Language of Evaluation .................................................................................... 27 4.1. Language of Evaluation ................................................................................ 27 4.2. Stance in Biber and Finegan (1989) ............................................................. 28 4.3. Attitude in Martin and White (2005) ........................................................... 31 4.4. Indirect Realisation of Attitude .................................................................... 33 5. Analysis ............................................................................................................ 33 5.1. Method ........................................................................................................ 33 5.2. Speeches: Overview ..................................................................................... 34 5.2.1. Hillary Clinton; Health Care: Remarks on American Health Choices Plan ......... 34 5.2.2. Hillary Clinton on government reform .............................................................. 35 5.2.3. Hillary Clinton on Iraq ........................................................................................ 36 5.2.4. Barack Obama on urban America ...................................................................... 36 5.2.5. Barack Obama: speech at Labor Day Rally ........................................................ 37 5.2.6. Barack Obama on tax fairness for the Middle Class .......................................... 37 5.2.7. Barack Obama on Iraq ....................................................................................... 38 5.3. Results Hillary Clinton .................................................................................. 39 5.3.1. Text 1 ................................................................................................................. 39 5.3.1.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 39 5.3.1.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 40 5.3.1.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 42 5.3.2. Text 2 ................................................................................................................. 44 5.3.2.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 44 5.3.2.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 45 5.3.2.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 46 5.3.3. Text 3 ................................................................................................................. 47 5.3.3.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 47 5.3.3.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 48 5.3.3.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 49 5.3.4. Token of Attitude ............................................................................................... 51 5.3.4.1. Text 1 ............................................................................................................ 51 5.3.4.2. Text 2 ............................................................................................................ 54 5.3.4.3. Text 3 ............................................................................................................ 56 5.3.5. Discussion Clinton .............................................................................................. 57 5.4. Results Barack Obama ................................................................................. 63 5.4.1. Text 4 ................................................................................................................. 63 5.4.1.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 63 5.4.1.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 64 5.4.1.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 66 5.4.2. Text 5 ................................................................................................................. 67 5.4.2.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 67 5.4.2.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 68 5.4.2.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 70 5.4.3. Text 6 ................................................................................................................. 71 5.4.3.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 71 5.4.3.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 72 5.4.3.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 73 5.4.4. Text 7 ................................................................................................................. 74 5.4.4.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 74 5.4.4.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 75 5.4.4.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 77 5.4.5. Token of Attitude ............................................................................................... 78 5.4.5.1. Text 4 ............................................................................................................ 78 5.4.5.2. Text 5 ............................................................................................................ 79 5.4.5.3. Text 6 ............................................................................................................ 80 5.4.5.4. Text 7 ............................................................................................................ 81 5.4.6. Discussion Obama ............................................................................................. 81 5.4.7. Final Discussion: Comparison ............................................................................ 90 5.4.7.1. Affect ............................................................................................................ 91 5.4.7.2. Judgement .................................................................................................... 92 5.4.7.3. Appreciation ................................................................................................. 92 5.4.7.4. Attitude Markers .......................................................................................... 93 5.4.7.5. Remarks........................................................................................................ 93 6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 96 Bibliography .................................................................................................................