AMCAP Journal of Media and Communication Studies - Lahore

Journal of Media and Communication Studies

Association of Media and Communication Academic Professionals (AMCAP)
ISSN (online): 2789-9756

Critical Discourse Analysis of Z. A. Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif Speeches: Comparative Use of Diplomatic Language

  • Shehzadi Talib/
  • Badriah Khaleel/
  • July 10, 2021
Keywords
Halliday's Functional Linguistics, Implications, Political Communication
Abstract

This research aims to examine the comparative use of diplomatic language by Pakistani Prime Ministers, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in their speeches at UN Security Council on 15th December 1971 and General Assembly on 21st September 2016 respectively, for clarifying and explaining their political, economic, and military perceptions or agendas to the International community. The documentary as well as audio-visual analysis is mainly performed by employing the Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics to elucidate how the use of smart linguistic choices assisted both prime ministers to incorporate their domestic ideology and power politics in their speeches. The findings suggest that their respective contexts played a pivotal role in their speeches such as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto broke all the norms of diplomatic language in his speech due to excessive use of personal references, aggressive tone and blunt language because his country was at war at that time. Whereas Nawaz Sharif remained confined within the domain of diplomatic discourse by avoiding the use of personal references along with aggressive tone because his context was not alarming as compared to Bhutto’s. In addition, the extensive use of stylistic devices and rhetoric is identified in Z. A. Bhutto’s speech as compared to Nawaz Sharif’ speech which uses more unpretentious and straightforward language due to the shift in diplomatic language at International Forums. In other words, the political and diplomatic implications of both these speeches in their corresponding epochs have also been critically analysed in order to examine their influences back at home in Pakistan, as well as at the International forums like UN and other International Communities.

References

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Author(s):

Research Associate, Information Technology University, Lahore

Pakistan

Head of Applied Linguistics Department, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore

Pakistan

  • badriah.khaleel@kinnaird.edu.pk

Details:

Type: Article
Volume: 1
Issue: 2
Language: English
Id: 60eef49322e8d
Pages 1 - 21
Published July 10, 2021

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.