Analysing Political Discourse: Theory and Practice / Edition 1

by Paul Chilton

Overview

This is an essential read for anyone interested in the way language is used in the world of politics. Based on Aristotle's premise that we are all political animals, able to use language to pursue our own ends, the book uses the theoretical framework of linguistics to explore the ways in which we think and behave politically. Contemporary and high profile case studies of politicians and other speakers are used, including an examination of the dangerous influence of a politician's words on the defendants in the Stephen Lawrence murder trial.
International in its perspective, Analysing Political Discourse also considers the changing landscape of political language post-September 11, including the increasing use of religious imagery in the political discourse of, amongst others, George Bush.
Written in a lively and engaging style, this book provides an essential introduction to political discourse analysis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415314718
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/18/2003
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

List of figures and tables, Preface, Acknowledgements, PART I. Political animals as articulate mammals, 1. Politics and language, 2. Language and politics, 3. Interaction, 4. Representation, PART II. The domestic arena, 5. Political interviews, 6. Parliamentary language, 7. Foreigners, PART III. The global arena, 8. Distant places, 9. Worlds apart, 10. The role of religion, PART IV. Concluding thoughts, 11. Towards a theory of language and politics, Appendix, Notes, Bibliography, Name index, Subject index

Editorial Reviews

'Analysing Political Discourse is provocative and offers readers a unique international perspective. The author's in-depth linguistic analyses of various contemporary samples of political discourse bring to light different mental representations of political thought and behavior. Given its broad scope, Analysing Political Discourse would be a valuable resource for researchers in the fields of discourse analysis, English, linguistics, sociolinguistics, and communication studies.' - Linguist List

'In just a short time, this book has become indispensable reading for those interested in the use of language in the world of politics; as much as for its clarity and readability as for the relevance of its theoretical paradigm for political discourse analysis.' - Suvremena lingvistika (Contemporary Linguistics)

From the Publisher