EXPLORING POLITICAL RHETORIC: ANALYSING CONTRADICTIONS, AMBIGUITIES, AND ANOMALIES IN POLITICAL SPEECH BY AMERICAN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
Keywords:
Pragmatics, Semantics, Meaning, Politician Speech, Contradiction, Ambiguities, Anomalies, Communication.Abstract
This study investigates how politicians use contradictions, ambiguities, and anomalies in their speeches to
persuade and influence people, what values and ideas they hope to promote through these techniques, and why they
choose to employ these strategies in various political settings. The data was collected from YouTube, which was a
speech delivered by the American president, Joe Biden, at White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2024. This
research study used the Davis Contradiction, ambiguity, and anomaly model as a theoretical framework for the
study. The analysis focuses on identifying contradictions, ambiguities, and anomalies in the collected data. The
findings of the study emphasize the importance of critical thinking in interpreting political discourse and provide a
deeper understanding of how language can be used to influence public view. The researcher also found specific
instances of strategic language, including contradictions, ambiguities, and anomalies to influence public opinion.
These devices were employed by the politician to engage the audience, address issues indirectly, and criticize the
opponents.
