The Use of Synonyms in Parliamentary Speeches in Jordan
AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, Volume 2, Number 3. August 2018 Pp.43- 67
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol2no3.4
The Use of Synonyms in Parliamentary Speeches in Jordan
Yousef Bader
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Arts, Yarmouk University
Irbid, Jordan
Sohad Badarneh
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of Arts,Yarmouk University
Irbid, Jordan
Abstract:
This study investigates the use of synonyms in Parliamentary speeches in Jordan and explains their main functions. Together with other important rhetorical devices used by politicians in their speeches such as repetition, metaphor, personification, rhetorical questions, and irony, synonyms were found to abound in political speeches in Jordan. More than 270 such synonyms were unveiled in only twenty speeches, which were the source of the data of the present paper. The study has revealed that the most important functions of synonyms used by politicians include emphasis and assertion, expressing emotions and feelings, praise and esteem, clarification, criticism, dissatisfaction, and others. Many synonyms have been found, however, to express no specific function and are considered redundant.
Keywords: emphasis, functions, political speeches, praise, rhetorical devices
Cite as: Bader, Y., & Badarneh, S. (2018). The Use of Synonyms in Parliamentary Speeches in Jordan. Arab World English Journal for Translation & Literary Studies, 2 (3).
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol2no3.4