Figures of Speech in Political Speeches

Abstract

The bachelor paper "Figures of Speech in Political Speeches" is concerned with the world of politics and expressions used by politicians. The main purpose of the work is to map the occurrence of rhetorical devices in the language of political discourse. The principal figures are metaphor, metonymy, simile, synecdoche and hyperbole. These particular figures will be introduced and discussed in this paper. The data required for the analytical part are collected from several website pages with transcripts of political speeches. The greater focus is on Inaugural Addresses of the President of United states of America and The State of the Union addresses. Beginning with a study of figures of speech, their function, and their use in terms of politics, the paper provides an analysis of political speeches where the data obtained from the research of the political speeches are discussed.