Lexical variability and persuasion strategies in the oral and public speech of president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in her first term (2007-2011)

Abstract

On the basis of a Correspondence Analysis, poles characterizing the main lexical variability of 1087 oral public (transcribed) speeches by the Argentinian president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner during her first term (2007-2011) were detected, and thematic areas and different persuasion strategies were identified. During her first term, the President articulates her discourse by emphasizing emotional aspects as she addresses disadvantaged sectors, and by demonstrating efficacy (by enumerating achievements) and specific knowledge (by mentioning figures) when she addresses audiences composed mainly by businesspeople and leaders, or when she speaks in an international context. When she goes through some of the main conflicts in her government, the President tends to justification and uses the authority argumentation, standing on her professional experience. When accounting for what she considers achievements of her management, she frequently supports her statements with figures and privileges exposition. Results are illustrated with fragments of the speeches with maximum projection on the main factorial axes. Moreover, our findings show that in her takeover speech for her second term, the Argentinian president goes through the main thematic lines and discursive persuasion strategies that resulted to be associated to the major lexical variability on her first term. Furthermore, she builds a composite ethos, articulating efficacy, empathy, experience and commitment.