War on Terror - How Discourse changed after 9/11 E-Book

Antje Holtmann

• Herausgeber: GRIN Verlag
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 1,7, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Anglistik), course: Discourse Analysis, language: English, abstract: [...] The discourse he (re)started, continued or resumed on “shaped public discussion and debate surrounding terrorism worldwide”. '9/11' has become a term everybody understands “in its conventional sense, as a realm of creative expression” as Daniel J. Sherman and Terry Nardin point out in their book Terror, Culture, Politics: Rethinking 9/11. Also Shana Kushner and Amy Gershkoff say that '9/11' has become an “ideograph in the sense that the historical event represents an attack on the beliefs, values, attitudes and “way of life” within the United States”. Not only in the English language '9/11' has become a “dictum” but in many others, too. In this term paper I want to take a closer look on the speech President Bush delivered on September 20, 2001 as State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. In my analysis I will go through the speech step by step in order to figure out the main points Bush is making. From there I want to continue with its effects and influence on the discourse about 'war on terror'. I am mainly referring to Norman Fairclough and his interpretations in Language and Globalization and also to Kevin Coe et al. and their study No Shades of Gray. With the help of these publications I want to emphasize the impact and the aftermath of Bush's discourse as well in media as in society.

Leseprobe

Table of Content

Footnotes

Chapter 1

E.-M.-Arndt-University of Greifswald English Department Discourse Analysis WS 2009/10

War on Terror -

How Discourse changed after 9/11

Introduction

want to emphasize the impact and the aftermath of Bush's discourse as well in media as in society.

Bush's speech contains about 3000 words. It is striking that he uses the words 'terror'/'terrorists'/'terrorism' about twenty-four times. Other important keywords are 'freedom' and 'justice' and on the other side 'war', 'al Qaeda', 'Taliban' and also 'Afghanistan'. It is significant that Bush refers to 'America'/'US' c. thirty-eight times and addresses the people he with “my fellow Americans”.

Every quote I am referring to is taken from the transcript ofPresident Bush's address to a joint session of Congress on Thursday night, September 20, 2001 11as published on CNN.com.

In his introduction Bush addresses the Speaker, the President Pro Tempore and the members of Congress first, which are considered to be the highest officials in the United States of America. He then addresses the American people by saying “fellow Americans”. Bush points out that it is an abnormal occasion and that the State of the Union he is going to speak on “has already been delivered by the American people”. He goes on and explains what happened on September 11 and already uses the word 'terrorists' in his first sentences.

To show inner connection and sympathy for the people, he names two citizens, Todd Beamer, a passenger and is wife Lisa Beamer. The audience reacts with an applause. He then describes the situation and what is happening in the USA and also around the world and uses anaphora constructions, e.g. “We have seen” and “We will not forget”. The use of the plural takes everybody in and creates some kind of unity. Also when Bush addresses the American people again by saying “my fellow citizens” this unity is established. Clearly, Bush has the world perspective in mind when he makes mention of “the entire world” and underlines the widespread influence of the attacks. He is especially referring to Great Britain as true friend and welcomes the British prime minister, which is somewhat important for the politic relations. Already in the introduction one can find the dichotomy, which Bush creates throughout his whole speech, as he contrasts “enemies” with “justice” and “freedom”, which is one of the main values in the American society. Bush makes clear that although “Americans have known wars” and surprise attacks, which he points out