Abstract
This paper examines the use of conceptual metaphors in Barack Obama’s and Xi Jinping’s diplomatic discourse in both Africa and Europe. Drawing on four speeches, this paper begins by examining the pervasiveness of metaphor utility in the speeches by using Pragglejazz Metaphor Identification Procedure. This paper examines the underlying concepts in the identified metaphors by using Lakoff and Johnson conceptual metaphor framework. Finally, this paper examines the significance of conceptual metaphors as a rhetorical strategy in diplomatic discourse. This paper found out that both Barack Obama and Xi Jinping employed an exceptionally high number of metaphors in their discourse in Africa and Europe. We found out that metaphors used by each leader do form an underlying concept. Barack Obama’s diplomatic discourse embodies journey metaphors while Xi Jinping’s diplomatic discourse embodies nature metaphors. The paper illustrates how both leaders draw on neutral lexical units such as distance, crossroads, pace, path, water, lions, mountains, wells, et cetera and charge them with metaphors as a rhetorical strategy in order to draw African and European audiences closer to their primary message.
Highlights
This paper examines the use of conceptual metaphors in Barack Obama’s and Xi Jinping’s diplomatic discourse in both Africa and Europe
Employing Pragglejaz Metaphor Identification Procedure to identify metaphors in Barack Obama’s and Xi Jinping’s speeches in Africa and Europe, this paper highlights the pervasiveness of metaphor utility in diplomatic discourse
Utilizing the Conceptual Metaphor Framework, we found out that Barack Obama use of metaphor can be conceptualized as journey metaphors while Xi Jinping’s use of metaphors can be conceptualized as nature metaphors
Summary
Wageche & Chi (2016) points out that much of research work done on linguistic and rhetoric techniques utilized in speeches dwell heavily on political discourse while leaving out diplomatic discourse. Wageche & Chi (2016) further contends that while the overall understanding, methodology and techniques in political discourse can be replicated in diplomatic discourse, there exist one radical challenge in diplomatic discourse: ethnographic heterogeneity. When Xi is delivering a speech in either Africa or Europe, he begins from the disadvantaged “outsider” position. Against this backdrop, the speaker is urgently compelled to utilize efficacious rhetorical strategies to draw an ethnographically different audience closer to him. Conceptual metaphor is realized when an argument is related to an underlying concept around which a wide range of expressions are structured, understood, performed and talked about. Lakoff & Johnson (1980) argue that we see argument as war based on an underlying concept that “ARGUMENT IS WAR”. According to Mio (1997), the three basic mechanisms that enable a conceptual metaphor to perform its persuasive function in discourse include: simplification, manipulation of underlying symbolic representations, and the emotional appeal. Mio, (1997) indicate that, “when emotions are evoked, logic is circumvented” and persuasion more achieved
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