Political discourse and its sociolinguistic variables

Abstract

The political discourse influences the audience not only with the help of linguistic and stylistic means, but also with psychological ones. Various researchers point out these methods within the context of different theories. H. Khazagerov states that psychological influence methods should be pointed out within the structural division of a speech into the logos (deduction, induction, definition), the pathos (threat, promise) and the ethos (approval, denial). O. Bahrii defines methods of psychological influence on the recipient‘s consciousness within the suggestive context: identification and personality, simulated dialogue, using archetypes and providing positive and negative examples. M. Sirivlja thinks that psychological means of the political discourse should be analyzed on the basis of A. Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs. In accordance with it, speakers try to influence people‘s physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs as well as self-actualization needs. In addition, the role of jokes as a means of influence in political discourse should not be underestimated. Humor is a means of creating favourable psychological atmosphere, easing tension, humiliating an opponent, demonstration of superiority over other people and phenomena, drawing and keeping the attention of the addressees. Still, it should be taken into consideration that the analysis of the political discourse from the perspective of only one theory cannot be complete. Thus, taking into consideration all the theories, means of psychological influence should be defined. This will be the subject of our further research