2025/01/12 by Hamad Kareem, Ahmed, Najarzadegan, Sahar, Kadir Ibrahim, Mahmood +1
#Critical Discourse Analysis #Gendered language #White House press briefings #political discourse #pronouns
paper · doi:10.71755/ttlt.2024.1312
This study explores the gendered linguistic strategies employed in White House press briefings by spokespersons Sean Spicer and Karine Jean-Pierre. Through the application of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research aims to identify distinct language patterns that reflect authority, ideology, and inclusivity. Through an analysis of pronouns, modal verbs, and specific lexical choices, this study highlights how gender inflects communication dynamics and power relations in the domain of political discourse. The findings also showed major differences in the languages used by both male and female spokespersons, evidencing the subtle ways in which gendered expectations shape public communication. Contemporary research on gender, hedging, assertiveness, and authority in political language supports these findings and is useful for contributions to sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and gender studies. The implications of such a study would further suggest that political communicators can benefit from heightened awareness of these language patterns to ensure the application of more inclusive and effective engagement strategies within the public sphere. Contemporary research on gender, hedging, assertiveness, and authority in political language supports these findings and is useful for contributions to sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and gender studies. The implications of such a study would further suggest that political communicators can benefit from heightened awareness of these language patterns to ensure the application of more inclusive and effective engagement strategies within the public sphere.