Martin Luther King Jr. Speech: Political Language And Power

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POLITICAL LANGUAGE AND POWER ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language is the most important manner to create and behold power in politics. Politicians are often known for their powerful speeches. The ‘I have a dream…’ speech by Martin Luther King Jr. is famous all around the globe, and by extension, he is, too. The speech presented Martin Luther King Jr. with a kind of immortality. The current president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, is also recognized for his public speaking skills. His glittering generality ‘Yes we can!’ is catchy, attractive, and appealing. In 1946, George Orwell stated: "In our time, …show more content…

Pathos appeals to emotions and logos to the sense of reason and logic of the audience. Politicians often use pathos, but also try to do the opposite. They frequently remove the emotional weight of actions including, but not limited to; invading and killing. Politicians accomplish this by using a different vocabulary. They use words, such as liberating and neutralising. This is what George Orwell is referring to in his essay. Logos is usually present in some fashion when it concerns political speeches, but is also falsely represented from time to time. The speeches are filled with fallacies and doubtful issues are claimed to be facts. If the language is powerful enough, a politician can convince one to change one’s opinion based on misrepresented reasoning. Furthermore, if the language is just vague enough, if it includes just enough ‘but’s and ‘if’s, the politicians cannot even be called out upon …show more content…

is photographed while doing one of his speeches. This is an excellent example of ethos as Martin Luther King Jr. is visibly powerful in this picture. His body language is strong - look at the way he holds up his closed fist into the air. Additionally, his expression seems aggressive, he is passionate about the subject of his speech, the issue he is discussing. He is elegantly dressed, involved, passionate, and confident. A quick side note; some credit should go to the photographer since the picture is taken, amongst other techniques, a little from below to make Martin Luther King Jr. appear taller and larger, and therefore, more

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