Page 209 - Gabrijela Kišiček and Igor Ž. Žagar (eds.), What do we know about the world? Rhetorical and argumentative perspectives, Digital Library, Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana 2013
P. 209
rhetoric – martial art or the art of winning
the soul by discourse? 209
the present government has proposed such sorts of plans under such schol-
arly terms. Those are the plans which are not compatible with what is go-
ing on in Poland, since it is not that those metropolises are developing so
rapidly in Poland, and, I repeat, that conception has not been checked any-
where in the world. Here our standpoint is firm, my standpoint is univocal,
as the President of the Republic of Poland, I will do everything to make Po-
land develop in a balanced manner.
After a brief introduction of two concepts of the economic reform
of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński openly presents his firm standpoint in
saying “I am a loyal supporter”, via the use of the first person singular
pronoun “I” he emphasises his view. Only twice does he use “I”, in the
exordium and peroratio stages of the speech, to open and close his com-
position, with the aim of demonstrating his rigid stance (interperson-
al function). By contrast, in the course of his speech Kaczyński repeats
the first person plural pronoun “we” four times, thus he identifies with
his party and reflects their values, or wishes to “get closer” to the audi-
ence and warm (improve) his image (Fairclough, 1989/2001). Kaczyński
also repeats the phrase: “through no fault of theirs in general, most of-
ten through no fault of theirs”, to claim common ground with the audi-
ence (ideational function), or rather prospective voters, i.e. the inhabit-
ants of the disadvantaged regions, the reason being to win their votes. By
referring to the “so-called motor force” and “scholarly term”, he depreci-
ates the government’s policy, moreover, with a derogatory tone. Further,
he claims common ground with the people, distances himself from the
world of science, often perceived as foreign to the average citizen of the
country2. Subsequently, he refutes the opponent’s idea by displaying its
uselessness. He concludes his speech by confirming his stance.
In the second excerpt Bronisław Komorowski (a candidate of Plat-
forma Obywatelska for the presidential seat), being interviewed about
the problem of legalization of homosexual relationships, declares:
(2) So, there is a question whether a new law should be established. For in
accordance with the Polish law, in effect at present, there is a possibility for
inheriting, there is a possibility for medical care for all the people living in
such relationships, which are not marriages, except for a few cases concern-
ing, among others, adoption rights I cannot imagine that in Poland such
a bill can ever be brought forward to the president’s office, since it is some-
2 It needs to be emphasised that politicians appear to juggle that strategy; depending on the aim they
strive to achieve they either distance themselves from the world of science or show their affiliation
with it.
the soul by discourse? 209
the present government has proposed such sorts of plans under such schol-
arly terms. Those are the plans which are not compatible with what is go-
ing on in Poland, since it is not that those metropolises are developing so
rapidly in Poland, and, I repeat, that conception has not been checked any-
where in the world. Here our standpoint is firm, my standpoint is univocal,
as the President of the Republic of Poland, I will do everything to make Po-
land develop in a balanced manner.
After a brief introduction of two concepts of the economic reform
of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński openly presents his firm standpoint in
saying “I am a loyal supporter”, via the use of the first person singular
pronoun “I” he emphasises his view. Only twice does he use “I”, in the
exordium and peroratio stages of the speech, to open and close his com-
position, with the aim of demonstrating his rigid stance (interperson-
al function). By contrast, in the course of his speech Kaczyński repeats
the first person plural pronoun “we” four times, thus he identifies with
his party and reflects their values, or wishes to “get closer” to the audi-
ence and warm (improve) his image (Fairclough, 1989/2001). Kaczyński
also repeats the phrase: “through no fault of theirs in general, most of-
ten through no fault of theirs”, to claim common ground with the audi-
ence (ideational function), or rather prospective voters, i.e. the inhabit-
ants of the disadvantaged regions, the reason being to win their votes. By
referring to the “so-called motor force” and “scholarly term”, he depreci-
ates the government’s policy, moreover, with a derogatory tone. Further,
he claims common ground with the people, distances himself from the
world of science, often perceived as foreign to the average citizen of the
country2. Subsequently, he refutes the opponent’s idea by displaying its
uselessness. He concludes his speech by confirming his stance.
In the second excerpt Bronisław Komorowski (a candidate of Plat-
forma Obywatelska for the presidential seat), being interviewed about
the problem of legalization of homosexual relationships, declares:
(2) So, there is a question whether a new law should be established. For in
accordance with the Polish law, in effect at present, there is a possibility for
inheriting, there is a possibility for medical care for all the people living in
such relationships, which are not marriages, except for a few cases concern-
ing, among others, adoption rights I cannot imagine that in Poland such
a bill can ever be brought forward to the president’s office, since it is some-
2 It needs to be emphasised that politicians appear to juggle that strategy; depending on the aim they
strive to achieve they either distance themselves from the world of science or show their affiliation
with it.
