Exploring the Pragmatic Features of Incitement in Political Texts: A Focus on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Subject Areas :Samir Jamal Ibraheem Saraj Al-Deen 1 , Atefesadat Mirsaeedi 2 , Abbas Lutfi Hussein Baqqal 3 , Sahar Najarzadegan 4
1 -
2 - Faculty of Foreign Languages, Khorasgan (Isfahan)
3 -
4 - Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan
Keywords: pragmatics, incitement, directive speech acts, Russia-Ukraine war, political linguistics,
Abstract :
The phenomenon of incitement in political discourse was examined pragmatically in the Russia-Ukraine crisis context in this study. This study concentrates on directive speech acts to determine how incitement functions as illocutionary or perlocutionary and what methods are used to formulate both direct and indirect provocation. By applying speech act theory and political linguistics, this study explains how provocation is used to motivate action, shapes public opinion, and shapes group behavior. This study confirms that euphemisms, metaphors, and emotional appeals increase incitement in speeches by high-ranking politicians such as U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The research explores how the sociopolitical and digital environment amplifies political speech. It highlights the rise of indirect incitement over digital communication, where coded language and algorithm-driven dissemination allow political actors to avoid accountability while mobilizing. The research investigated these interactions to shed light on the ethical and social consequences of incitement, as well as its role in the formation of narratives surrounding aggression, solidarity, and identity amid conflict. This study highlights the significance of grasping the linguistic and rhetorical aspects of political discourse, particularly in narratives influenced by conflict, providing valuable insights for linguists, political analysts, educators, and policymakers regarding the pragmatic characteristics and strategies associated with incitement, thereby fostering critical thinking and enhancing political communication.
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