DOI: 10.25136/2409-8698.2021.8.36334

Abstract: The subject of this research is the expressive potential of prosody in the 2021 inaugural speech of Joe Biden. Analysis is conducted on the peculiarities of functionality of such prosodic means as melody, accentuation, pausation, rhythm and other. Assessment is given to their interaction with the widespread stylistic techniques, as well as their role in carrying out the traditional functions for inaugural rhetoric that determine its genre distinctness. The article employs the method of auditory scene analysis of speech of the political, which vividly illustrates the significance of modifications of suprasegmental parameters for conveying the communicative intent of the speech. The scientific novelty lies in studying the expressive capabilities of prosodic means within a specific variety of political discourse – the inaugural speech as a genre of epideictic rhetoric, viewing the implementation of specific functions in the unity of linguistic and extralinguistic factors. Attention is given to the general peculiarities of discursive practice of the inaugural speeches, as well as the context of a specific communicative situation – unprecedented circumstances of delivering speech by the the 46th President of the United States, as well as the personal traits of the speaker. The acquired results demonstrate the expressive potential of prosodic modifications in the oral speech, which can be used in teaching students majoring in philology the principles of text analysis of the political discourse through the prism of prosody, expressive syntax, stylistics, and rhetoric.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-8698.2021.7.36088

Abstract: This article examines the expressive potential of prosodic means based on the 2014 State of the Union Address to Congress delivered by the President of the United States Barack Obama “On the State of the Country”. Special attention is given to the discursive characteristics of the text and the peculiarities of communicative situation, including such prosodic parameters as pausation, tone and intensity, word accents, as well as capabilities of the syllabic consonants. The author employs auditive and instrumental methods for the analysis of speech fragments of the politician, which illustrates the effectiveness of modifications of suprasegmental speech characteristics for achieving the optimal rhetorical effect in the information-enriched text. The relevance of this research is defined by need for comprehensive analysis of the political discourse and techniques used to influence the audience. The scientific novelty lies in consideration of the expressive capabilities of prosodic means in the political texts with consideration of various extralinguistic factors, as well as within the specific type of political discourse – orientation genre as a speech of information-prescriptive nature. The acquired results demonstrate the expressive potential of suprasegmental means in oral speech, and can be implemented in teaching students-philologists the principles of analysis of political texts from the perspective of expressive syntax, prosody, cognitive syllabics, and rhetoric.