This study investigates the linguistic performances of two black politicians from the United States – namely, Barack Obama and Ben Carson – when addressing audiences of differing ethnic composition. Obama's use of vernacular speech at Hampton University was considered controversial due to the stigmatized nature of African American English (AAE) use within formal contexts, which nevertheless enjoys covert prestige as a marker of solidarity and identity.
Ben Carson was chosen as a foil, due to crucial similarities between the two politicians. For each of them, speech samples from two speeches and two interviews were selected for analysis, whereby one speech/interview was given in front of a predominantly white audience and the other speech/interview was given in front of a predominantly black audience. In order to determine if, when, and to what extent Obama and Carson employ features of AAE in these 'high performance' political events, an acoustic analysis of three sociophonetic variables indexical of AAE is undertaken.
Focusing on the patterns of these three phonological features of AAE versus their 'standard' General American English (GAE) counterparts, the linguistic outputs of Obama and Carson are investigated individually and in comparison to each other. Additionally, research on style-shifting, contextualization of the speeches and interviews, insights about AAE and the biographical backgrounds of Obama and Carson are discussed to explain their respective stylistic choices.
In summary, Obama and Carson's sociophonetic construction of identity and achieving of situational goals through style-shifting between AAE and GAE in 'high performance' political events is examined in this study.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Style & Style-Shifting
- Labov's Attention To Speech
- Giles' Communication Accommodation Theory
- Bell's Audience Design
- Speaker Design Approaches
- Language, Identity And Politics
- Chapter 2: African American English
- Terminology
- Genesis
- Usage
- Features Of African American English
- Chapter 3: Persons Of Interest
- Biography Barack Obama
- Biography Ben Carson
- Chapter 4: Contextualization Of Speech Samples
- Barack Obama: Speeches And Interviews
- Ben Carson: Speeches And Interviews
- Chapter 5: Methodology And Variables
- Methodology
- Variables
- Chapter 6: Findings
- Barack Obama: Speeches
- Barack Obama: Interviews
- Topic And Setting
- Ben Carson: Speeches
- Ben Carson: Interviews
- Topic And Setting
- Chapter 7: Discussion
Objectives and Key Themes
This study investigates the linguistic performances of Barack Obama and Ben Carson, focusing on their style-shifting between African American English (AAE) and General American English (GAE) in high-performance political events. The main objective is to analyze how these stylistic choices contribute to their sociophonetic identity construction and the achievement of situational goals. The study aims to examine the interplay between language, identity, and political rhetoric. * Intra-speaker variation in political speech * Style-shifting between AAE and GAE * Sociophonetic identity construction * The role of audience in shaping linguistic choices * Speaker design approaches to stylistic variationChapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Style & Style-Shifting: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework of the study by examining existing research on style and style-shifting. It critiques traditional responsive-based approaches like Labov's Attention to Speech, highlighting their limitations in accounting for intra-speaker variation. The chapter then introduces initiative-based approaches, such as Speaker Design, which emphasizes the speaker's agency in shaping their linguistic choices. The chapter connects this framework to the study's focus on how speakers use language to project identity and achieve situational goals in political contexts, setting the stage for the analysis of Obama and Carson's speech. Chapter 2: African American English: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of African American English (AAE), covering its terminology, historical origins, and common usage. It details the key phonological, grammatical, lexical, and prosodic features of AAE, crucial for identifying shifts between AAE and GAE in the subsequent acoustic analysis. Understanding these features and their social connotations is essential for interpreting the stylistic choices made by Obama and Carson. Chapter 3: Persons Of Interest: This chapter delves into the biographical backgrounds of Barack Obama and Ben Carson, highlighting the linguistic influences shaping their communication styles. The chapter emphasizes crucial similarities between them, justifying Carson's selection as a comparative case study to Obama. The discussion reveals how their unique experiences might inform their stylistic preferences and sociophonetic identity construction, laying the groundwork for a comparative analysis in later chapters. Chapter 4: Contextualization Of Speech Samples: This chapter describes the specific speeches and interviews selected for analysis from both Obama and Carson. Each sample is contextualized in terms of audience composition (predominantly Black or White) and setting, providing crucial background information for understanding the linguistic choices made in each context. This meticulous contextualization is fundamental for interpreting the observed style-shifting patterns. Chapter 5: Methodology And Variables: This chapter outlines the methodological approach and the specific linguistic variables used in the acoustic analysis. The methodology is clearly explained, along with a justification for selecting specific phonological features of AAE (ING, AI, and R) as indicators of style-shifting between AAE and GAE. The chapter ensures the transparency and reproducibility of the study's findings. Chapter 6: Findings: This chapter presents the results of the acoustic analysis of Obama and Carson's speeches and interviews, focusing on the frequency and distribution of the selected AAE features across different contexts (audiences and settings). The chapter details the observed patterns for each speaker, enabling a comparative analysis to explore potential differences in their style-shifting strategies. The findings likely show variations in the use of AAE features depending on the audience and context.Keywords
African American English, General American English, style-shifting, sociophonetics, political rhetoric, identity construction, speaker design, Barack Obama, Ben Carson, high-performance events, intra-speaker variation, linguistic authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Study of Style-Shifting in the Speech of Barack Obama and Ben Carson
What is the main topic of this study?
This study investigates the linguistic performances of Barack Obama and Ben Carson, focusing on their style-shifting between African American English (AAE) and General American English (GAE) in high-performance political events. The main objective is to analyze how these stylistic choices contribute to their sociophonetic identity construction and the achievement of situational goals. The study examines the interplay between language, identity, and political rhetoric.
What are the key themes explored in this study?
Key themes include intra-speaker variation in political speech, style-shifting between AAE and GAE, sociophonetic identity construction, the role of audience in shaping linguistic choices, and speaker design approaches to stylistic variation.
What theoretical frameworks are used in this study?
The study utilizes theoretical frameworks such as Labov's Attention to Speech, Giles' Communication Accommodation Theory, Bell's Audience Design, and Speaker Design approaches to analyze style-shifting. It critiques traditional responsive-based approaches and emphasizes the speaker's agency in shaping linguistic choices.
What is the significance of African American English (AAE) in this study?
The study provides a comprehensive overview of AAE, including its terminology, historical origins, common usage, and key phonological, grammatical, lexical, and prosodic features. Understanding these features is crucial for identifying shifts between AAE and GAE in the analysis of Obama and Carson's speech.
Who are the subjects of this study, and why were they chosen?
The subjects are Barack Obama and Ben Carson. Carson's selection as a comparative case study to Obama is justified by crucial similarities between them, allowing for a comparative analysis of their stylistic preferences and sociophonetic identity construction.
How were the speech samples for this study selected and contextualized?
The study details the specific speeches and interviews selected for analysis from both Obama and Carson. Each sample is contextualized in terms of audience composition (predominantly Black or White) and setting, providing crucial background information for understanding the linguistic choices made in each context.
What methodology and variables were used in the analysis?
The study outlines the methodological approach and the specific linguistic variables used in the acoustic analysis. Specific phonological features of AAE (ING, AI, and R) were selected as indicators of style-shifting between AAE and GAE. The methodology ensures the transparency and reproducibility of the study's findings.
What are the key findings of this study?
The study presents the results of the acoustic analysis, focusing on the frequency and distribution of the selected AAE features across different contexts (audiences and settings). It details the observed patterns for each speaker, enabling a comparative analysis to explore potential differences in their style-shifting strategies, likely revealing variations in AAE feature use depending on audience and context.
What are the key chapters of the study?
The study is organized into chapters covering: Introduction, Style & Style-Shifting, African American English, Persons of Interest, Contextualization of Speech Samples, Methodology and Variables, Findings, and Discussion. Each chapter is summarized in detail.
What are the keywords associated with this study?
Key words include African American English, General American English, style-shifting, sociophonetics, political rhetoric, identity construction, speaker design, Barack Obama, Ben Carson, high-performance events, intra-speaker variation, and linguistic authenticity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Silvan Wilsch (Autor:in), 2018, Intra-Speaker Variation and Sociophonetic Identity Construction in Political Rhetoric, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/463289
