Rhetorical devices of Obama’s speeches in United States Presidential Election 2012

ABSTRACT

Rhetorical devices means devices used by speakers to attain specific rhetorical goals in which is used in order to persuade and convince the hearers. Here, rhetorical devices are divided into two. First, a scheme is a deviation from the ordinary pattern or arrangement of words. It contains of schemes of balance, schemes of inverted word order, schemes of omission and schemes of repetition. The second, tropes is a deviation from the ordinary meaning of a word. It contains of figures of speech such as hyperbole, metaphor, synecdoche and etc.

The aim of this present study is to investigate rhetorical devices used by Obama in his speeches in United State presidential election 2012. This is investigated by describing and explaining what and how rhetorical devices are used. Therefore, Methodologically, I apply descriptive qualitative as my research design because I want to understand deeply. Then, the proper research instrument used is my self. The data are collected by selecting and critisizing the data source which are taken from official link of Obama. Then, in analysing of the data, I analyze by appliying intensive reading on the speech. I analyze those data by combining theory proposed Corbett and Van Dijk theory.

The finding reveals that rhetorical devices stated in the theory are not used altogether. There are 13 devices which I can identify in those data. Then practically, the hidden meanings behind those devices can be divided into four intentions. First, to portray Obama positively, the devices used are kind of tropes such as hyperbole and litotes. The second, to contrast either character, plans, and crediblity, the devices used are kind of schemes of balance and schemes of repetition. Third, to show intimacy, unity, respect, and power, the devices used are kind of schemes of repetition and the changing of pronouns use. Further more, those devices show that what has already stated by Obama in his campaign speeches is only to invite people to vote for him.

I suggest to to focus on rhetorical device using Thomas and Wereing (2004) theory because in that theory, the devices are more concise but can cover the data. Thus, the next researcher can find one rhetorical devices with many intended meaning standing in that device. It would be a good choice to use other subjects as rhetorical devices in debate, because it can be learned more how the responses of the use of rhetorical devices.