Ecolinguistic approach to the analysis of the notion “leader’s charisma” (based on English non-fiction literature)

Abstract

The research attempts to study various aspects and correlations between the verbal and non-verbal characteristics of charismatic leaders from an ecolinguistic perspective. The analysis of the lingual and non-lingual repertoire of a charismatic leader, his main characteristics and correspondence of his verbal, non-verbal and supra-verbal behavior to the ecological principles of communication demonstrates that if the leader avoids using in their speech the elements producing a harmful effect on physical, psychological or emotional state of a partner they can reach ecologically effective influence on the audience. A charismatic leader's identity emerges from psychological and social factors that manifest in their speech. This statement correlates with the principles of ecolinguistics, which involve the analysis of verbal, non-verbal, and supra-verbal phenomena in the unity with natural, social, and psychological factors. Modern English non-fiction literature was chosen as the research material. The non-fiction authors – scientists, psychologists, coaches, and business-trainers, focus the reader’s attention on the main criteria for creating the image of a charismatic leader, which includes verbal and non-verbal communicative components, as well as their ecological combinability. Core features that effectively shape the image of a successful leader are charisma and high communicative skills, which include preservation of communicative maxims of quantity, quality, relation, and manner. The focus of ecolinguistic research on a charismatic leader who influences the society and achieves their goals through various means, including language, contributes to further development of the theory of discursive personality. The results of this study can be used in discourse studies, studies of verbal and non-verbal communication, pragmalinguistics, and communication theory.