Page 242 - 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
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What Do We Know about the World?
dilemma between two moral imperatives out of which only one is prefer-
able. The opposition serves to emphasise and further accentuate the dif-
ference between these two notions. The example carries an underlying
message that a party that is immoral does not deserve to be in power.
MPs use corruption, cheating, lying, and immoral actions to discredit
and insult the opposing MPs or their parties.
4.3. In-Group Identity and Inter-Group Dissent
Croatian group identification depends solely on the party or coali-
tion formed and is not based on the similarities or differences in the in-
terpretation of socio-political events. It also purely depends on the indi-
vidual’s political identity and how much does s/he feel like a part of the
group. The goal of these insults is to weaken the authority of the adver-
saries, whether be it an individual MP or his/her party, as “individuals
influence our impression of the group to which they belong, and, con-
versely, what we think of the group predisposes us to a particular im-
pression of those who form it“ (Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008:
322).
Insults to show in-group identity are often expressed by using iro-
ny (see also examples (1), (2), (7), (9)). It is a rhetorical figure where “one
seeks to convey the opposite of what one actually says“ (Dumarsais qtd.
in Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008: 207) and the application of
the same device is antiphrasis, which is a deliberate ironic use of inade-
quate illustration by reference to qualifications. These qualifications are
assigned to a person and represent a generally accepted statement illus-
trated by someone’s behaviour (Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008).
The following example shows how an MP is displaying her/his in-group
membership by using a deliberately inadequate illustration to ironically
insult the other group (ruling party):
(11) H. M. (SDP): Samo je vama uspjelo poći za rukom da broj za nezaposlenost
raste i ljeti. To zaista treba znati i to je zaista odlična realizacija programa gosp-
odarskog oporavka. I tako danas imamo 300 tisuća nezaposlenih upravo zah-
valjujući vašoj sposobnosti. Vjerujemo da će građani tu vašu sposobnost nagra-
diti na sljedećim izborima (6 /24, 28. rujna 2011.)
H. M. (SocDem): Only you have succeeded in having unemployment rates in-
creasing even during the summer. It is really not easy to pull it off and that’s a re-
ally great realization of the economic recovery program. And so today we
have 300 thousand unemployed thanks to your competence. We believe that
the citizens will reward this competence in the next election (6/24, Septem-
ber 28, 2011)
dilemma between two moral imperatives out of which only one is prefer-
able. The opposition serves to emphasise and further accentuate the dif-
ference between these two notions. The example carries an underlying
message that a party that is immoral does not deserve to be in power.
MPs use corruption, cheating, lying, and immoral actions to discredit
and insult the opposing MPs or their parties.
4.3. In-Group Identity and Inter-Group Dissent
Croatian group identification depends solely on the party or coali-
tion formed and is not based on the similarities or differences in the in-
terpretation of socio-political events. It also purely depends on the indi-
vidual’s political identity and how much does s/he feel like a part of the
group. The goal of these insults is to weaken the authority of the adver-
saries, whether be it an individual MP or his/her party, as “individuals
influence our impression of the group to which they belong, and, con-
versely, what we think of the group predisposes us to a particular im-
pression of those who form it“ (Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008:
322).
Insults to show in-group identity are often expressed by using iro-
ny (see also examples (1), (2), (7), (9)). It is a rhetorical figure where “one
seeks to convey the opposite of what one actually says“ (Dumarsais qtd.
in Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008: 207) and the application of
the same device is antiphrasis, which is a deliberate ironic use of inade-
quate illustration by reference to qualifications. These qualifications are
assigned to a person and represent a generally accepted statement illus-
trated by someone’s behaviour (Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, 2008).
The following example shows how an MP is displaying her/his in-group
membership by using a deliberately inadequate illustration to ironically
insult the other group (ruling party):
(11) H. M. (SDP): Samo je vama uspjelo poći za rukom da broj za nezaposlenost
raste i ljeti. To zaista treba znati i to je zaista odlična realizacija programa gosp-
odarskog oporavka. I tako danas imamo 300 tisuća nezaposlenih upravo zah-
valjujući vašoj sposobnosti. Vjerujemo da će građani tu vašu sposobnost nagra-
diti na sljedećim izborima (6 /24, 28. rujna 2011.)
H. M. (SocDem): Only you have succeeded in having unemployment rates in-
creasing even during the summer. It is really not easy to pull it off and that’s a re-
ally great realization of the economic recovery program. And so today we
have 300 thousand unemployed thanks to your competence. We believe that
the citizens will reward this competence in the next election (6/24, Septem-
ber 28, 2011)
