LANGUAGE OF PERSUASION: AN ANALYSIS OF INAUGURAL SPEECHES OF PRESIDENTS BARACK OBAMA AND PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBERE JONATHAN

Resumen

This study aims at uncovering the styles of rhetoric, language of persuasion in the political discourses of two former presidents. Political discourses embody appeals which drive the intents therein. appeals in such discourses are employed by discourse producers to compel and drive their audience to believe them or be brought to their wings, thus political actors use it strategically to achieve their political whims. The Aristole’s rhetoric theory on persuasion is used for this study to analyze the inaugural speeches of President Barack Obama and Goodluck Obama Jonathan. The study reveals persuasion strategies of logos, pathos and ethos. While the pathos persuasive strategy is used more in this speeches, to appeal to audiences’ emotions, logos is also employed to present facts in support of the speaker’s argument. These persuasive strategies impact on the audiences as they are could be persuaded into being convinced and to act in accordance with speaker’s intents.