Strategic maneuvering in the 2015 tanzanian presidential election campaign speeches: a pragma-dialectical perspective

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigates strategic maneuvering in the 2015 Tanzanian presidential campaignspeeches of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo(CHADEMA)/Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi (UKAWA) in the Extended pragma-dialecticaltheory of argumentation. The study employs the Extended pragma-dialectical theory ofargumentation to analyse two inaugural speeches conducted in Kiswahili language. It alsoanalyses a part of the CCM closing campaign, that is, a response to some argumentations ofthe CHADEMA/UKAWA. The study evaluates argumentation structures, argument schemes,presentational devices, successful observation of rules, identification of derailments of rules,and effectiveness and reasonableness in argumentative discourse as objectives of the study.The data were collected from the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and from otheronline sources. The audio-visual speeches were transcribed and translated from Kiswahiliinto English. The findings of the study reveal that the complex argumentation structuredominates the rest of the argumentation structures in the speeches. Secondly, in the perspective of Pragma-dialects, the findings indicate that the three argumentation schemesnamely causal relation argumentation scheme, symptomatic argumentation schemes andargumentation by analogy are employed in the speeches. More importantly, the pragmaticand majority argumentation is the prototypical argumentative pattern in the 2015 Tanzanianpresidential election campaign speeches. Thirdly, findings manifest that the three aspects ofstrategic maneuvering namely the topical potential, audience demand, and presentationaldevices, are employed accordingly. Features of persuasion mainly reflected in the studyinclude appealing to liberal and conservative presumptions, commemorating MwalimuNyerere and other leaders during the time of independence. The fourth finding from the studydemonstrates that critical discussion rules frequently observed are the the standpoint rule, theargument scheme rule, the relevance rule, and the freedom rule. The fifth finding from the study reavel that cmpaigners frequently violate the language rule. The findings indicate thatdifferent presentational devices and criteria for reasonableness are employed, to a largeextent, in presidential campaign speeches. The study recommends further investigations inthe presidential campaign speeches in Kenya where Kiswahili perhaps is not used aslanguage of independence and unity. Furthermore, an investigation into sermon speeches inother African languages in Tanzania would give insights on how the delicate balance in maintained in the Extended pragma-dialectical perspective. The study can be extended to investigating strategic maneuvering in presidential campaign speeches by merging monological speeches in dialectical profiles.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University