Abstract
The study uses content analytic and grounded theory approaches to analyze 409 cases of public apologia from 351 different incidents in order to develop a typology of mortification-specific strategies. Its purpose is to offer a critique of existing scholarship and its inattention to the specific nuances of mortification. Historically, scholars have limited their conclusions to a discussion of strategy, while ignoring the reality that specific language choices need only appear to be sincere in order to satisfy the rhetor’s goal. Such a conceptualization runs counter to Kenneth Burke’s original notion of true mortification. Findings in this study reveal four unique categories of mortification. Each is discussed along with implications for the future study of public apologies.
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