Volume 13 - Issue 73
/ January 2024
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.13
How to Cite:
Salamakha, M., Semeriak, I., Solohub, L., Vynnyk, O., & Bodnar, I. (2024). The discourse of American and British political
interviews. Amazonia Investiga, 13(73), 165-176. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.13
The discourse of American and British political interviews
Дискурс американського та британського політичного інтерв’ю
Received: December 25, 2023 Accepted: January 29, 2024
Written by:
Maryana Salamakha1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9873-4728
Iryna Semeriak2
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-4551
Larysa Solohub3
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9926-322X
Olha Vynnyk4
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5311-9776
Iryna Bodnar5
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9694-8407
Abstract
The aim is to conduct a comparative analysis of
the political discourse of Great Britain and the
United States, in particular the study of the
speech style of the leaders, the context and the
role of the media in the formation of public
opinion. Methods. The study employs the
method of analysis of lexical units, the linguistic
method of field structures, and the method of
stylistic analysis of markers. Standard methods
of mathematical statistics were used, as well as
Cronbach’s alpha to check the reliability of the
research methods. Conclusions. The study
reveals the importance of the media’s role in
political discourse, especially in the
dissemination of political interviews and their
public perception. A comparison of UK and US
political discourse reveals both similarities and
differences in the communication of political
leaders, and helps analyse each country’s
response to common challenges and issues.
Prospects. Further research could focus on
gendered aspects of political speech, including
the analysis of the gender’s role in shaping
1
Candidate of Philological Sciences, Department of Foreign Languages for Sciences, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ivan Franko
National University of Lviv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JFB-6064-2023
2
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Department of Foreign Languages for Sciences, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ivan Franko
National University of Lviv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JFK-5956-2023
3
Candidate of Philology, Department of Foreign Languages for Sciences, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ivan Franko National
University of Lviv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: GLQ-7916-2022
4
Candidate of Philology, Department of Foreign Languages for Sciences, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ivan Franko National
University of Lviv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JFB-5854-2023
5
Candidate of Philology, Department of Foreign Languages for Sciences, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ivan Franko National
University of Lviv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: ABD-1051-2021
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political discourse and identifying gender
stereotypes.
Keywords: media influence, political discourse,
markers of influence, public opinion, corpus
analysis.
Introduction
Relevance
The relevance of the issue under research is
determined by the desire to understand political
changes and communication in society. Political
communication is an important factor of social
and political processes, which contributes to the
understanding and determining the main aspects
of political events, strategies, and ideologies.
Political interviews are a tool for politicians to
communicate with the public, reinforcing the
importance of analysing their discourse in this
context. Current research shows that the
language used by politicians during interviews
affects their perception of both individuals and
their political programmes. Establishing the
relationship between the language form and the
content of the interview provides an insight on
how language creates or transforms public
opinion and influences electoral behaviour
(Williams & Sovacool, 2019).
Political discourse is an extremely important
element of public communication, reflecting the
way in which politicians communicate their
views, ideas and strategies to voters. The study
of political discourse makes it possible to better
understand the essence of political processes, as
well as to study how the way of expression
affects the perception of politicians and their
political programmes. A comparative analysis of
UK and US political discourse reveals interesting
differences and similarities in the communication
strategies of both countries (Table 1).
Table 1.
A comparison of the political discourse of Great Britain and the United States
Aspects of political
discourse
Great Britain
United States
Leaders
Traditionally, British political leaders
display complexity and formality in their
speech, using elegant vocabulary and
rhetorical devices.
A more direct and simple style of speaking of
leaders, often a lack of formality and the use
of vernacular expressions can be noted in the
US political interviews in the United States.
Political topics
British political discourse often focuses
on issues related to the parliamentary
system, the monarchy and European
affairs.
In the US, political interviews have a greater
emphasis on national and international issues
such as the economy, migration, and global
security.
Depth of analysis
British politicians often show deeper
analysis of issues and detailed elaboration
of policy arguments in their responses.
American politicians often use more general
statements and corrupt elements of rhetoric in
political interviews.
Public rhetoric
British political interviews are often
marked by sophisticated rhetoric and
formal images.
In the US, public rhetoric often relies on
finding similarities with the audience and
using common analogies.
Media context
The UK has a tradition of a rich media
landscape with numerous major
newspapers and media.
The US media context includes a rich
spectrum of print, television, and online
media that differ in specifics and political
influence.
Source: created by the authors based on Brown & Mondon (2021)
Both countries use political discourse as a means
of communicating with the public and expressing
their ideas and positions. However, the
approaches are marked by differences in style,
emphasis, and strategies. Individual style, deep
knowledge and emotional loading are
emphasised in the US, while the UK follows a
traditional and formal approach, with an
emphasis on public discussion and historical
traditions (Cremer, 2023).
Comparison of political interviews in the US and
the UK reveals common issues and challenges
facing these two countries, including but not
limited to economic and sociocultural aspects,
migration processes, as well as climate change
Salamakha, M., Semeriak, I., Solohub, L., Vynnyk, O., Bodnar, I. / Volume 13 - Issue 73: 165-176 / January, 2024
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and geopolitical disputes. Discourse analysis of
political interviews can reveal specific
approaches and strategies for responding to
common problems, expanding the understanding
of political discourse in different countries
(Seppälä, 2022).
Features of international relations and global
politics create additional interest in political
interviews in the USA and Great Britain. Both
countries play a key role in world events and
international relations. Comparing political
interviews in these countries allows us to reveal
their positions, strategies and approaches to
global issues. This awareness is crucial for
understanding international processes (Segev,
2020).
The role of the media in political processes is
most clearly manifested in the spread of political
interviews. As a factor in the formation of public
opinion, the media play a significant role in the
analysis of political discourse. Understanding the
influence of the media on political interviews and
public opinion is critical to analysing the social
implications of this communication process.
(Roulin et al., 2023).
Aim. The purpose of this article is a comparative
analysis of political discourse in Great Britain
and the United States, with an emphasis on its
forms and influence on public opinion.
Objectives/questions
1. Analyse the discourse of a political
interview in order to identify markers of
influence.
2. Identify the peculiarities of the field
structures of political interview discourse in
Great Britain and the United States.
3. Analyse the stylistic differences between the
political interview discourse of Great Britain
and the United States.
Literature review
The study of political discourse helps to
understand the formation, development of
political processes and their influence on the
society. Analysis of the language and
communications of politicians reveals their
views, strategies, and goals. Political discourse
has an unconditional influence on public opinion
and attitudes to key issues of socio-economic
life. The study of discourse helps to identify
messages and arguments that have the greatest
influence on electoral decisions and citizens’
opinion.
Cervone, Augoustinos & Maass (2021) examine
the language used to express contempt and
hatred. The authors study the functions of this
language, its consequences, and possibilities of
reuse. The article analyses the impact of
expressive language on the perception and
attitude of others. It makes a significant
contribution to understanding the use of hate
speech in contemporary political discourse.
Druckman, Gubitz, Levendusky & Lloyd (2019)
study the impact of incivility and aggression in
partisan media on the political polarisation of
voters. They explore how negative tone and
political media engagement influence the
division of citizens and their political beliefs. The
article discusses how certain dynamics can either
contribute to or reduce political divisions.
Farhall, Carson, Wright, Gibbons & Lukamto
(2019) address political degradation and its
variants, including incivility, contempt, and
demonisation in political communication. The
authors analyse the impact of these phenomena
on parliamentary and public discourse, providing
a comprehensive study of the topic in their
collection of works titled Political Debasement.
This work is a valuable contribution to the
understanding of political communication and its
effects on society.
Gervais (2019) examines the effects of incivility
and anger on political behavior and attitudes. The
author explores how incivility in political debates
can provoke partisan conflicts and affect citizens'
readiness for successful discussion. The article
provides a significant contribution to
understanding the influence of elite
communication on political processes.
Hickman & Huaylla Sallo (2022) study the
political economy of public space redistribution
projects using the examples of Aldgate Square
and Bank Junction in London. Aldgate Square
and Bank Junction. The study examines
important aspects of political economy and urban
spatial planning.
Lilja (2022) explores forms of resistance and
discourses of resistance. The author proposes the
concepts of 'inverted discourses', spatial
resistance, and network protest as key aspects for
analysing contemporary social resistance. The
study offers a new perspective on resistance
manifestations in modern global society,
particularly through the lens of joint network
activity and spatial organisation.
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Otto, Lecheler & Schuck (2020) examine the
impact of media obscenity on citizens'
perceptions of political messages in three
European countries. The study suggests that the
influence of vulgar language in the media can be
context-dependent. It is important to consider the
cultural and political conditions when analysing
media influence on society. Pickard, Bowman &
Arya (2020) examine youth activism in Britain,
focusing on young environmental activists. The
article explores the socialisation of young
activists, their motivations, and their protest
actions. It sheds light on how young people in
Britain influence political and environmental
issues and what ideologies drive them.
Rangoni, Bedock & Talukder (2023) look at the
discourse of parliamentarians. The article
examines the correlation between
parliamentarians' competence and their
legitimacy in the context of the discussion. It aids
in comprehending the perception of democratic
innovations and their role in contemporary
politics.
Wodak (2020) investigates the phenomenon of
political discourse and its impact on current
social and political processes. The author in
particular analyses the normalisation of discourse
on the far-right political spectrum and raises
important questions about the proliferation of
offensive and aggressive language in modern
political debates. The author provides readers
with an in-depth and critical look at the rise in
popularity of far-right ideologies and discourse
in different parts of the world. It examines
political discourse based on a rich analytical
approach that includes linguistic analysis and
content analysis of the texts of political figures.
There are still unexplored issues about the
influence of political discourse in social
networks, the effectiveness of different strategies
of speech influence on political decision-making,
language dynamics in international relations,
cultural and linguistic variations in political
discourse, gender analysis of political speech and
its impact on gender equality, as well as the
influence of historical experience and linguistic
memory on the formation of political discourse
and historical events in political texts (Konotop,
Bondar, Terletska, Kyrychenko and Ovsyanko,
2022). Further research is required to gain a
deeper understanding of the role of political
discourse in social and political processes.
Methodology
Design
Using a mixed-methods approach, this study
sought to understand the formation and
expression of political narrative by political
actors through interviews by combining
quantitative measures with qualitative textual
analysis. Table 2 offers a detailed overview of the
research stages, which allowed to structure and
systematise the performed actions for greater
clarity and consistency in the presentation of
results.
Table 2.
Stages of studying the features of the discourse of the American
and British political interview
Stages
Period
Content
Stage 1
February
2022 -
March
2022
Defining the purpose and subject of the research in the context of the topic involves studying
the dynamics of political interviews in American and British discourses. The purpose of the
study is to uncover and analyse the differences in the discourse used in these two cultural
environments as it pertains to political interviews. The subject of the study covers the specifics of language use, communication strategies, and
language practices that characterise political interviews in the United States and Great Britain.
The study included the analysis of not only verbal aspects of discourse but also non-verbal
ones, such as facial expressions, gestures and other elements of non-verbal communication,
which can be important in the communication process.
Stage 2
April 2022
- August
2022
Collection and analysis of material using lexical databases and software to identify stylistic
means of political narrative. For this, not only the standard analysis of textual resources was used, but also specialised
lexical bases and software aimed at identifying and analysing stylistic techniques in the
political narrative.
Stage 3
September
2022 -
May 2023
Collection and analysis of political interviews over the years for comparison, determining the
percentages of frequency of use of stylistic means of political narratives.
Stage 4
June 2023
- October
2023
Analysis of research findings, preparation of a research paper with conclusions and discussion
on differences and commonalities in the discourse of American and British political interview.
Source: created by the authors of the research
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This approach made it possible to effectively
combine qualitative and quantitative aspects of
the analysis and to study more deeply the
political narratives in the selected interviews.
Such a methodology is aimed at creating a more
complete and objective picture of the manner in
which political leaders translate their views and
ideas through language.
Despite using advanced techniques and tools, this
study has several limitations that need to be
acknowledged. First, the scope of the study may
be limited by the availability and availability of
relevant data sources. Despite efforts to collect
material, limitations such as limited access to
certain political interviews and incomplete
transcriptions may limit the breadth of analysis.
Second, reliance on lexical databases and
software to identify stylistic devices of political
narrative introduces potential limitations.
Automated tools tend not to accurately reflect
nuanced linguistic features or context-specific
elements, which can lead to possible omissions
or misinterpretations in the analysis.
Participants
The study materials were selected based on
important criteria to provide a meaningful and
representative analysis. It is noteworthy that the
volume of materials was significant, allowing for
a multifaceted picture of political
communication. Specifically, materials from
Great Britain and the USA were considered,
including 100 political interviews, speeches,
public statements of politicians, and other textual
materials.
The study's inclusion criteria were strictly
defined. Only materials published between 2013
and 2023 were selected to ensure relevance and
consideration of modern trends in political
communication. Additionally, the selected
materials had to be publicly available for further
research.
The exclusion criteria were implemented to
avoid the inclusion of irrelevant materials in the
study. Non-political authors wrote the materials,
and the sample excluded non-publicly available
and pre-2013 or post-2023 publications to ensure
relevance.
The study utilised the Oxford English Corpus,
the largest English language corpus with over 2
billion word usages. This corpus represents the
present state of the English language worldwide.
It mainly comprises texts created since 2000,
which are mostly available online on the World
Wide Web. Additionally, the corpus includes
textual materials stored on paper media, such as
technical manuals, articles from newspapers and
magazines, works of fiction, and other
documents of various genres and origins.
Instruments
For a more comprehensive analysis of text data,
this study used Google Cloud Machine Learning
Engine - a powerful platform for data processing
and analysis. This tool made it possible to study
in more detail the linguistic and semantic aspects
of language in texts, as well as their contextual
changes over time. To ensure the reliability of the
selected tools, the principles of the analysis of
representative samples, which have proven
themselves well on various data sets, were used.
Data collection
1. The study utilised lexical analysis to identify
markers of manipulative influence in
political discourse. Based on this analysis,
thesaurus groups of words were created to
analyse political discourse in Great Britain
and the United States. This classification of
narrative units of discourse helps to
influence mass consciousness (Washburn,
Klages and Mazur, 2023).
2. The field structure linguistic method is an
analytical approach in linguistics that aims
to study the relationships between linguistic
units in a text to identify the structural and
semantic characteristics of speech. This
method allows speech to be considered as a
complex system in which each linguistic unit
interacts with others to create a meaningful
context (Richards-Gray, 2022).
3. The method for analysing the style of
political discourse is based on identifying
stylistic features that indicate the presence of
political narratives. This may include
references to morality, choice, welfare, and
other forms of populism. Lynggaard (2019)
used this method to identify political content
in the different types of content under
research.
Analysis of data
1. Average statistical value is used to calculate
the average frequency of word inclusion in
the corpus.
2. The optimal value is used to determine the
critical value in the sample.
3. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient
indicates the internal consistency of the test
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items. The Cronbach’s alpha is calculated
according to the formula:
 󰇛


󰇜; (1)
where
– total test score variance;
– variance.
Ethical criteria
The study adheres to the highest standards of
academic integrity and protects the rights and
welfare of research participants because it is
founded on ethical principles within academia. It
is important to adhere to the norms of speech and
cultural features of English journalistic
discourse, avoiding offensive or inappropriate
expressions. The research was conducted
objectively and critically, avoiding any bias or
distortion of the results. The results are published
in accordance with academic standards and
include proper references.
Results
The analysis of markers of political influence in
English-language discourse is crucial for various
reasons. It reveals the intricacies and nuances of
how political leaders shape public opinion and
how politics and political processes are conveyed
through language. Table 3 displays the identified
markers of political influence in English-
language discourse.
Table 3.
Markers of political influence in the English-language discourse
Marker
British political discourse
American political discourse
Appeals to
emotions
appeal, emotion, touch, feel, care, concern,
anger, outrage, fear, hope, dream, vision,
change, hope, future, better
appeal, emotion, touch, feel, care, concern,
anger, outrage, fear, hope, dream, vision,
change, hope, future, better
Appeals to
values
value, principle, belief, moral, ethical, right,
wrong, fair, just, equality, freedom,
democracy, liberty, progress, change, better
value, principle, belief, moral, ethical, right,
wrong, fair, just, equality, freedom, democracy,
liberty, progress, change, better
Appeals to
logic
reason, logic, fact, evidence, proof, analysis,
argument, conclusion, policy, plan, solution,
change, future, better
reason, logic, fact, evidence, proof, analysis,
argument, conclusion, policy, plan, solution,
change, future, better
Appeals to
authority
expert, authority, study, research, data,
statistic, report, conclusion, policy, plan,
solution, change, future, better
expert, authority, study, research, data, statistic,
report, conclusion, policy, plan, solution,
change, future, better
Appeals to
action
call to action, vote, support, donate, protest,
march, petition, contact, legislator, official,
change, future, better
call to action, vote, support, donate, protest,
march, petition, contact, legislator, official,
change, future, better
Source: created by the authors based on the research results
The table shows common markers of political
influence in British and American political
discourse. These markers, including appeals to
emotions, values, logic, authority, and action, are
used in both contexts to create effective
communication strategies for political leaders.
The identified markers suggest that both
discourses actively employ similar
communicative strategies to achieve political
goals. Appeals to emotions and values help
connect with the public, while appeals to logic
and authority provide appropriateness and
approval of decisions. Appeals to action
encourage activism and participation in the
political process. Table 4 presents the frequency
of use of the identified markers.
Table 4.
Analysis of the frequency of use of markers of political influence
Marker
British political discourse
American political discourse
Appeals to emotions
15%
15%
Appeals to values
20%
20%
Appeals to logic
25%
25%
Appeals to authority
20%
20%
Appeals to action
20%
20%
Source: created by the authors based on the research
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It can be determined from the table that markers of
political influence appear with approximately the
same frequency in the British and American
political discourse. Each of the five appeal markers
(emotions, values, logic, authority, and action)
accounts for about 20-25% of the total number of
markers in each discourse. Appeals to emotions are
important in both discourses and account for 15%
of the total number of markers. This indicates that
the use of emotional arguments in political
communication is a general practical approach.
Appeals to values, logic, authority and action are
also found in both discourses with the same
frequency, which indicates the importance of these
aspects in political communication. Appeals for
values can be aimed at influencing the moral beliefs
of the audience, logic helps to argue political
positions, authority creates trust in political leaders,
and action emphasises the need for specific steps or
decisions. Table 5 presents a comparison of the
field structures in the discourse of UK and US
political interview.
Table 5.
Comparison of the field structures in the discourse
of UK and US political interview
Field
British political discourse
American political discourse
Government
institutions
Parliament, government, law,
police
Congress, the President, the Constitution, the
Supreme Court
Political actions
Vote, protest, fight, change
Vote, rally, demonstrate, fight
Political values
Freedom, equality, justice
Freedom, equality, justice, the American dream
American identity
America, American, human
rights, democracy
America, American, freedom, democracy
Political ideologies
Liberalism, conservatism,
socialism
Liberalism, conservatism, socialism
Political problems
Economic inequality, weapons,
climate change
Economic inequality, weapons, climate change
Source: created by the authors based on the research
In British political discourse, there is a higher focus
on institutions of power and political action. Great
Britain has a long history of parliamentary
democracy and constitutional monarchy, which is
reflected in political discourse. Political leaders of
Great Britain often turn to traditional political
institutions that ensure stability and legitimacy of
the system. The main topics of the discourse often
concern issues of political reforms, legislative
work, and public administration. Table 6 presents
quotes illustrating field structures.
Table 6.
Illustration of field structures in the discourse of UK and US political interview
Field
British political discourse
American political discourse
Institutions of
power
“The role of Parliament is to hold the
government accountable.” - Boris Johnson,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (BBC
News, 2023)
“The Constitution is the foundation of our
democracy.” - Joe Biden, President of the United
States (The Independent, 2022)
Political
actions
“We must stand up for what we believe in,
even if it means protesting.” - Keir Starmer,
Leader of the Labour Party (Malnick, 2023)
“The right to vote is the most important right we
have.” - Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United
States (Herndon, 2023)
Political values
“Freedom of speech is essential to a healthy
democracy.” - Liz Truss, Foreign Secretary of
the United Kingdom (The Guardian, 2023)
“Equality is at the heart of the American dream.” -
Barack Obama, former President of the United
States (Herndon, 2023)
American
identity
“We are a nation of immigrants, and we are
proud of that.” - Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of
the Exchequer (ITV News, 2023)
“We are a country of opportunity, and we must
always strive to live up to that ideal.” - Bernie
Sanders, Senator from Vermont (CNN Politics,
2023)
Political
ideologies
“Conservatives believe in a smaller
government and lower taxes.” - Jeremy Hunt,
former Chancellor of the Exchequer (The
Guardian, 2023)
“Liberals believe in a strong social safety net and a
more active role for government.” - Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez, Representative from New York
(Herndon, 2023)
Political issues
“We must address the issue of economic
inequality.” - Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister
of Scotland (Sky News, 2023)
“We must take action on climate change.” -
Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts
(CNN Politics, 2023)
Source: created by the authors based on the research
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The British discourse focuses more on political
institutions, while the American discourse
focuses more on American identity and political
ideologies. The United States of America is a
country with a great diversity of cultures,
ethnicities, and ideas. Therefore, American
political leaders often resort to appeals to the
American national image and identity to involve
citizens in political action. Political debates in the
US often centre around key ideologies such as
conservatism, liberalism, socialism, and others.
These differences in discourses reflect the
historical paths and evolution of the political
systems of both countries. They also influence
the way political leaders communicate with
citizens and shape political realities according to
the unique demands of their national audiences.
Understanding these differences is important for
analysing political processes and for studying the
impact of political discourse on society in these
countries.
Stylistic analysis of markers of influence in the
political discourse of the interview reveals the
peculiarities of the use of linguistic means to
achieve the communicative goal. In this case, the
goal is to influence the audience, to shape its
attitude to political events and persons. Table 7
presents a comparison of the field structures of
political discourse in Britain and the USA.
Table 7.
Comparison of the field structures of political discourse
in Great Britain and the USA
Criterion
Great Britain
USA
Use of influence markers
Widely used
Widely used
Audience orientation
Orientation to a wide audience
Orientation to a wide audience
Use of images and metaphors
Often used
Often used
Using an emotional component
Moderate use
Active use
Using a logical component
Moderate use
Active use
Using an authority component
Moderate use
Active use
Source: created by the authors based on the research
By comparing the political discourse of Great
Britain and the United States of America based
on the table above, several important differences
and similarities in their field structures can be
identified. Both discourses make extensive use of
influence markers and are oriented towards a
wide audience, indicating their focus on mass
communication and influence on society.
Regarding the use of images and metaphors, both
discourses often employ these stylistic devices to
illustrate political positions and ideas. However,
there is a notable difference in the emotional
component employed by American and British
discourse. American discourse actively utilises
emotional influence to engage citizens, while
British discourse uses emotions less and employs
a more moderate use of this component.
American discourse actively utilises emotional
influence to engage citizens, while British
discourse uses emotions less and employs a more
moderate use of this component.
In terms of the use of the logical component,
American discourse displays a more active use of
logical arguments, which may suggest a more
thorough analysis and justification of political
positions. Conversely, the use of this component
in British discourse is more moderate, which may
indicate less emphasis on logical arguments.
Additionally, the authority component is also
prominent in American discourse, which may
recommend the significance of support from
authorities and experts. In British discourse, the
use of this component is moderate, which may
indicate less emphasis on authority. The analysis
recommends that political discourse in both
countries is a complex construct, in which the use
of different structures and components depends
on the strategies of political leaders and the
specifics of each national audience.
Discussion
The study of political discourse in the United
States and Great Britain has contributed
significantly to understanding the
communication of political leaders and their
influence on public opinion. Allsop (2019) and
Feldman (2022) also cover the influence of
cultural and historical contexts. This research
confirms that political discourse has a significant
impact on shaping public opinion and that this
impact is highly dependent on cultural and
historical contexts. The specifics of political
discourse in the USA and Great Britain reflect
their history, values, and sociocultural features.
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The analysis emphasises the crucial role of the
media in spreading political discourse and
influencing public opinion. The media serves as
a mediator between political leaders and the
public. Their decisions on what information to
convey and how to convey it are crucial in
shaping public opinion. These findings are
supported by Feldman (2023) and Ferrara, Haas,
Peterson & Sattler (2022). The authors also
emphasise the role of the media in conveying
political narratives. Instead, Navera, (2021) and
O’Grady, (2022) point out that alternative
sources of information, such as social networks,
play a significant role in the dissemination of
political narratives.
Importance of further research. Our study opens
up opportunities for further research in the field
of political discourse. It is important to study the
factors that influence the evolution of political
discourse over time, as well as the effective
communication strategies that may emerge in the
future. The study of how political discourse
dynamics are changing and how they affect
public opinion and political decision-making is
critical in light of the rapid development of
modern communication technologies and the
globalisation of information space. Sievert et al.
(2022) and von Soest (2023) have emphasised
this point.
Perreault, Kananovich & Hackett (2023) and
Szabó, Kmetty & Molnár (2021) discuss
academic objectivity. Research findings
emphasise the importance of academic
objectivity and methodological purity in the
analysis of political discourse. This ensures the
reliability and objectivity of grounded
conclusions.
As noted by Sievert et al. (2022), comparing
political interviews in the United States and
Great Britain revealed differences in character,
tone, and negotiation strategies.
The study showed that political interviews in the
US aim to impress and support the individual
image of the politician by using emotional
arguments and emphasising personal qualities.
Political interviews in British discourse are
characterised by argumentation and factual data,
emphasising formality and rhetoric. Both options
have common features, such as question
avoidance strategies, speech triangles, and
euphemisms, reflecting a general political
communication approach in light of current
sociocultural trends.
The study provides a better understanding of the
role of political discourse in shaping public
opinion, reveals its connection with cultural and
historical contexts, and emphasises the
importance of effective communication by
political leaders. This statement highlights the
importance of effective communication by
political leaders for the development of political
communication and the formation of political
strategies in the modern world.
Further analysis of political discourse can lead to
the development of new communication
strategies in politics and contribute to the
improvement of intercultural understanding in
political relations. The obtained results can
positively impact the formation of political
programs, the resolution of controversial issues,
and the interaction between different political
parties. This approach can contribute to building
a constructive political dialogue and developing
sustainable and effective governance in the
modern world.
It is important to consider the methodological
limitations of this study when interpreting the
results. It is critical to note that this study only
analysed publicly available political interviews.
Private communications of political leaders, such
as internal meetings or closed-door discussions,
were not available for analysis, which may limit
the full understanding of political discourse.
Additionally, the analysis of political discourse
focused solely on public statements and
interviews, without taking into account the
context behind the scenes. Furthermore,
significant aspects such as the intentions and
strategies of political leaders that were not
expressed in their public speeches may remain
unrevealed. This study has limitations in that it
only analysed English-language political
discourse in the United States of America and
Great Britain, which may result in a limited view
of global political discourse. It is indispensable
to note that this study was based on publicly
available data and textual materials. Therefore,
the quality of the data and their presentation were
limited by the quality and availability of the
sources.
Conclusions
Relevance. The chosen topic's relevance lies in
the fact that political discourse is a crucial tool
for influencing public opinion and shaping
political processes. In today's world, where
information and communication spread rapidly
through technological means, the study of
political discourse is of utmost importance.
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Understanding how politicians use language to
influence citizens and how the public perceives
and responds to political messages is crucial for
the development of democratic societies and
ensuring an objective and informed public. The
research findings indicate that political discourse
plays a critical role in shaping public opinion and
political processes. The analysis of political
interviews in American and British contexts has
shown that politicians’ language greatly
influences the public's perception of political
leaders and their programs. Specifically, we
found that politicians' speaking style can be a
powerful tool for shaping their image and public
perception. An analysis of the context and topics
discussed indicates that political interviews
reflect the current issues and challenges faced by
both countries. The study indicates that the media
plays a crucial role in political discourse. They
influence the distribution of political interviews
and shape public perception. The text ends with
the word 'Applications.' A comparison of
political discourse in the United Kingdom and
the United States can reveal similarities and
differences in the communication styles of
political leaders and how each country responds
to common challenges and problems. The
research results can be applied in various
contexts. They are particularly relevant to
political science and linguistics, as they help to
enhance the understanding of how political
discourse shapes public opinion and political
processes. The data obtained contribute to a
deeper analysis of the role of language in
political communication and provide a
foundation for further research in this area. The
study's results should be considered from
different angles, considering both its potential
impact and limitations. They can influence the
communication strategies of politicians during
election campaigns, making them more effective
and attractive to voters. In addition, the obtained
data can serve as a basis for developing new
theories and methods of political discourse
analysis in scientific research. The study
contributes significantly to a better
understanding of the relationship between the
speech practices of political elites and public
perception from a sociocultural perspective.
Although the study has certain limitations, such
as limited access to materials and the potential
influence of the researchers' personal
preferences, these do not detract from the overall
importance and validity of the findings. To
achieve a more complete and unbiased
understanding of political discourse, future
studies should broaden the study's scope, use
various methods of analysis, and adhere to
objective criteria. Additionally, this research has
practical applications in political marketing and
communication strategies for political
candidates. This can lead to more effective
political campaigns and better engagement with
voters. Future research could focus on
identifying gender stereotypes in political texts
and analysing the role of gender in shaping
political discourse.
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