Persuasive Speech in Politics and Education

This article analyzes the role of persuasive speech in politics and education through case studies of Barack Obama's inaugural speeches and Malala Yousafzai's speeches. It explores the elements of persuasion and their impact on influencing the masses. The article also discusses the use of persuasive language in critical discourse analysis and the effects of visual appearance on persuasive communication. Additionally, it examines the persuasive use of pronouns in election campaigns and the role of grammar in persuasive speech.

Running head: PERSUASIVE SPEECH
PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Altikriti, S. (2016). Persuasive speech acts in Barack Obama’s inaugural speeches (2009, 2013)
and the last state of the union address (2016). International Journal of Linguistics, 8(2), 47-66.
The author of this particular article has provided an analytical explanation of three
speeches of the erstwhile President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama, and
has related her arguments to the usage and the presence of the element of persuasion in the
speeches delivered by him. The author has chosen three iconic speeches of the President, two of
which were his inaugural speeches in the years 2009 and 2013 before assuming the office. The
third one has been the Last State of the Union Address delivered by him in the year 2016. The
author has provided the observation that the most essential element of a quintessential persuasive
speech which is the ability to influence the views of the masses and make them rethink and
transform their value predisposition was present in the speeches of the President. She has
attributed that as the success of the President and his election for two consequtive terms. The
author is a Phd scholar at the University of Jordan at the Department of English. She is an
accomplished scholar who has her publications present at researchgate.net and at academia.edu
This particular research paper shall be beneficial for me in understanding the role if
persuasive speech in politics and how is it different from usage of persuasive speech in common
parlance.

2PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Fauzi, A., & Ilahi, T. (2017). Teaching Persuasive Language Through Critical Discourse
Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai’s Speech.
As per the views of the authors of the article, the speeches of Malala Yousafzai who
had been shot by the Taliban for pursuing education instead of following their diktats of staying
indoors and fulfilling the duties that are expected of a female traditionally, were not just
persuasive speeches, rather they were an element which sought to inspire courage among other
girls of her age in her region ruled by hardliners and in other areas as well where the freedom of
women are curtailed in the name of tradition. The authors also opine that her speeches have a
magnetism which can be useful in increasing the listening, comprehension and linguistic skills
given the fact that she is a celebrated figure and the enthusiasm of the audience to listen to her
speech shall be quite evident. The authors of this research paper are scholars who have published
several research papers on persuasive speech and are connected to the Universitas Sebelas Maret
of Indonesia.
This article is important as it shows that not just the act of persuasion but the
Weberian understanding of Charsimatic Authority acting as a catalyst is equally important in
making a speech persuasive.

3PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Hanus, M. D., & Fox, J. (2015). Persuasive avatars: The effects of customizing a virtual
salesperson׳ s appearance on brand liking and purchase intentions. International Journal of
Human-Computer Studies, 84, 33-40.
The authors of this article focuses on the visual aspect of the communicator and the
external environment within which the interpersonal communication takes place between the
communicator and the receiver of the message. They have tended to show that the act of
persuasion is not just about persuading but there are other external factors which generate the
persuasive effect of the speech to be heightened. They show that the appearance of the
communicator actually creates an aura which easily persuades the listener and the glamour of the
place also works wonders in providing a touch of credibility to the message delivered by the
communicator. The authors of the article are professors at the University of Ohio and have
extensively researched on the art of communication. They hold degrees in Journalism and Mass
Communication.
This particular is important for my purpose as it provides an explanation about the
nuances of persuasive speech to be used for commercial purposes and how can persuasive speech
be employed to gain more economic leverage.

4PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Săftoiu, R., & Toader, A. (2018). The persuasive use of pronouns in action games of election
campaigns. Language and Dialogue, 8(1), 21-42.
This article examines the role of correct choice of words in heightening the
persuasive effect of a particular speech. For the purpose of analysis the authors have chosen the
speeches of Donald Trump and his effective use of pronouns to persuade the masses towards a
reconciliation to his world view and ideologies. The authors of the article show that the language
is nuanced and pronouns can be used very effectively to create a sense of othering and offer a
sense of building of solidarity. President Trump has very effectively used the pronouns of “Us”
and “Them” in creating a distinction between the in-group and the out-group. That has
contributed to the effective creation of xenophobia in the nation, and ironically that had led to his
victory. The usage of the pronouns to create a division has been possible as the climate of the
nation was such. Săftoiu is a professor at the Transilvania University of Braşov. He teaches
courses in pragmatics, applied linguistics, communication and discourse analysis. Toader has
been his research assistant.
This paper is important as it provides an unique insight into the art of persuasive
speech by introducing the issue of usage of grammar in determining the level of persuasion. The
paper also shows that persuasive speech is not always constructive and can be destructive as
well.

5PERSUASIVE SPEECH
References
Altikriti, S. (2016). Persuasive speech acts in Barack Obama’s inaugural speeches (2009, 2013)
and the last state of the union address (2016). International Journal of Linguistics,
8(2), 47-66.
Fauzi, A., & Ilahi, T. (2017). Teaching Persuasive Language Through Critical Discourse
Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai’s Speech.
Hanus, M. D., & Fox, J. (2015). Persuasive avatars: The effects of customizing a virtual
salesperson׳ s appearance on brand liking and purchase intentions. International
Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 84, 33-40.
Săftoiu, R., & Toader, A. (2018). The persuasive use of pronouns in action games of election
campaigns. Language and Dialogue, 8(1), 21-42.