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Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 33:1 (2020) ► pp.27–54

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The language of recovery

Metaphors in Obama’s and Rajoy’s political speeches

 | IULMA – Universitat de València
Published online: 21 August 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.17055.cab
Abstract
The present study attempts to make a comparative analysis of two Spanish and American political speeches, which belong to two different debate traditions, in terms of the metaphors used. For that purpose, we analyze the Economy sections of the 2015 State of the Union Address in the US and in the 2015 State of the Nation Debate in Spain. The present study aims at answering the following research questions:
1.
What metaphors do President Obama and Prime Minister Rajoy use in the American and Spanish political speeches to convince their audiences of America’s and Spain’s economic victory?
2.
What are the similarities and differences between the representations depicted by metaphor use in the speeches as the politicians attempt to shape the economic recovery of America and Spain after recession?
To answer these questions, we use an analytical framework for the identification of conceptual metaphors and a theoretical framework for the use of conceptual metaphors (Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). The results indicate that both politicians use metaphors in an attempt to reify the new economy in such a way that the economic policies used to fight crisis are justified, while the negative effects on citizens are not mentioned and, thus, are dismissed as unimportant. However, the politicians take different approaches to reification.
Resumen
El lenguaje de la recuperación: Metáforas en los discursos políticos de Obama y Rajoy
Este estudio se centra en hacer un análisis comparativo de las metáforas utilizadas en dos debates políticos – uno español y uno americano – pertenecientes a dos tradiciones de debates distintas. Para ello, analizamos las secciones de Economía del Debate para el Estado de la Unión de 2015 en EEUU y del Debate para el Estado de la Nación de 2015 en España. Este estudio trata de dar respuesta a las siguientes preguntas:
1.
¿Qué metáforas utilizan el Presidente Obama y el Primer Ministro Rajoy en los debates políticos para convencer a la audiencia del éxito económico de EEUU y España?
2.
¿Cuáles son las similitudes y diferencias entre las representaciones expresadas por las metáforas utilizadas en los debates en un intento por dar forma a la recuperación económica de EEUU y España tras la recesión?
Para dar respuesta a estas preguntas, utilizamos un marco analítico para la identificación de metáforas conceptuales y un marco teórico para el uso de las metáforas conceptuales (Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). Los resultados indican que los dos políticos usan metáforas en un intento por hacer real la nueva economía y por justificar las políticas económicas para luchar contra la crisis. Al mismo tiempo, los efectos negativos de estas políticas no se mencionan y, por tanto, no se consideran importantes. Los políticos difieren sin embargo en sus distintas posturas para hacer real la nueva economía.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Parliamentary discourse: the State of the Union Address vs. the State of the Nation Address. Socio-political background of the speeches
  • 3.Metaphors in political discourse
  • 4.Economy metaphors
  • 5.Methodology
  • 6.Results and discussion of findings
    • 6.1Obama’s metaphorical expressions: Economy metaphors
    • 6.2Rajoy’s metaphorical expressions
      • 6.2.1Economy metaphors
      • 6.2.2Financial crisis metaphors
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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