Abstract
This study examines data from a 2016 presidential debate in Taiwan to explore the use of first-person narrative in political discourse as a rhetorical device, and how public reactions to its credibility are influenced by the narrative’s context. While previous studies of political debate discourse (e.g. Kuo 2001) investigate, for example, the use of “constructed dialogue” (Tannen 2007), there is a lack of studies focusing on first-person narrative in political debates. Using three-level positioning as outlined by Bamberg (1997), I analyze a narrative featuring a grandma character told by presidential candidate Eric Chu, also comparing it to another candidate James Soong’s “grandma narrative.” I argue that the context places constraints on the effects of their narratives. Whereas Chu’s narrative, a traditional Labovian first-person story, is widely ridiculed with memes for its lack of credibility, Soong’s narrative, a habitual narrative, receives little attention.The analysis shows how Chu’s narrative serves his rhetorical purposes and suggests why the public doubts its credibility. At level 1 (characters positioned vis-à-vis one another), Chu presents himself as non-agentive with constructed dialogue, thereby excusing an earlier decision he made -- failing to keep his promise to finish his term as a mayor. At level 2 (speaker positioned to audience), he switches from Mandarin to Taiwanese, a local dialect, which can be seen as an appeal to his current audience. At level 3 (identity claims locally instantiated), the grandma character draws on the archetype of elderly women in Taiwanese culture, fundamental to national economic growth, while his description of praying at a temple casts him against the local tradition of religious practices in Taiwan. The study helps fill the knowledge gap regarding first-person narrative in political discourse, while highlighting the context in which political narratives are embedded and contributing to understanding positioning in Taiwanese public discourse.
Highlights
Narrative is a powerful linguistic device that communicates meaning and it serves a multitude of functions in human interaction ranging from identity construction (e.g., Schiffrin 1996) to argumentation (e.g., Carranza 1999)
The present paper adds to the works on political discourse that adopt narrative analysis (e.g., Duranti 2006, Shenhav 2005a) by investigating the use of narratives in the first of the two 2016 presidential debates in Taiwan and how aspects of the context influenced public perception of the two narratives
Chu’s narrative comes to be perceived as a rhetorical device for vindication because it was told during cross-examination when he was questioned by Tsai for his motive in order for him to justify his decision and deflect the accusation
Summary
Narrative is a powerful linguistic device that communicates meaning and it serves a multitude of functions in human interaction ranging from identity construction (e.g., Schiffrin 1996) to argumentation (e.g., Carranza 1999). The present paper adds to the works on political discourse that adopt narrative analysis (e.g., Duranti 2006, Shenhav 2005a) by investigating the use of narratives in the first of the two 2016 presidential debates in Taiwan and how aspects of the context influenced public perception of the two narratives. As a discourse strategy, is supposedly a powerful rhetorical device employed to increase authenticity, in Chu’s case, did it not work to his advantage in vindicating his action of running for presidency but his narrative was publicly mocked This paper addresses this issue by focusing on the context where the two narratives are embedded, including the immediate context of the debate and the larger social context in Taiwan. I conclude with the implications and significance of bringing narrative analysis into research of political discourse
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