Language in a Time of Tragedy

Plains Linguistic Language

"America's Enduring Strength"

From January 12, 2011 Palin posted to Facebook about the tragic event that happened in Arizona.

Symbols

            Palin uses symbols to connect herself with us using words like “exceptional nation” and talking about and reflecting on 9-11. By being able to use symbols of things we believe in she can connect with us and seem more humanized and that she goes through the same difficulties we go through. She also uses strong and powerful words that show an impact and really stand out, words like “tragedy”, “blood libel”, “hatred” and “violence”

Social Reality

            Speaking about this in general shows that yes, this happens and we need to take a stand on what is going on. She reflected upon what President Reagan had said “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” This in its own is strong and powerful, because of how many people loved and respected President Reagan she was able to tie his words from tragedy to this, which makes her a strong speaker.

Political Language

            Plain uses definition throughout her statement by showing us in paragraph six how “acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own” she defines it that it is those who use “their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not those who proudly voted in the last election.”

            Second, she uses similitude not directly but she hints at certain things throughout where she is trying to make sense of what has happened and what we could do to improve upon this and not let it happen again.

            Next, we see cause and effect, but she does not directly have an effect, she tells us the cause of what happened and does not directly say this will effect us, but that there is tragedy. She references Congresswoman Gifford reading the First Amendment on the floor of the House just days before she was shot. We have seen that some people see a cause and will make their own effect.

            Finally, we see Palin use her authority, when she talks about the election and how she is a strong willed politician and her campaigning. She also talks about our Founding Fathers, which shows a testimony around the views and our country.

Throughout her statement she used the word “tragedy” five times, her most used word was “I” which she had used eight times. When compared to President Obama’s speech where he was more personal then she was, but comparing to this for her political language you have to remember that this was in the time of tragedy and yes, she did very well but she also did not make it personal, she focused more on the issue at hand and how America can over come this to become stronger. Palin used a strong sense of language but this does not show her strengths but it does show she is still strong at speaking in a diverse time of crisis.

Video: https://vimeo.com/18698532?from=facebook

Link to text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m7Ae_bjNoxtRXIMueAcBp6HN7aB1VlTzpCJ_OlNoRQE/edit?hl=en