Iryna Shevchenko , Iryna Morozova , Maiia Seliatina

Rhetoric of the modern Speech from the Throne

Introduction

Rhetoric of the modern speech from the throne. Analyzing the rhetoric of modern British Speeches from the Throne (20th-21st centuries). Discover linguistic and persuasive strategies in political discourse legitimizing government agendas.

Abstract

The article attempts at a comprehensive analysis of expressive means and rhetorical strategies in the Speeches from the Throne by British monarchs of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, viewed as key mechanisms of their linguistic (persuasive) and extralinguistic (political) potential development. The relevance of the study is stipulated by the growing scholarly interest in ritualized forms of political rhetoric and the need for an integrated reconsideration of the Speech from the Throne as a specific genre of institutional communication that combines the features of ceremony, political agenda presentation, and persuasiveness. In this study, the Speech from the Throne is approached not only as a protocol text but as a strategically organized discourse aimed at legitimizing the government’s agenda and constructing the symbolic unity of the state. The aim of the article is to analyse Speeches from the Throne by British monarchs of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries as a genre of ritualized political discourse and to identify the principal stylistic and rhetorical devices that ensure implementation of governmental agendas. Thus, methods of linguostylistic and rhetorical analyses are applied to stylistically marked units at various levels (lexical, morphological, and syntactic). The findings demonstrate that the Speech from the Throne operates at the intersection of the official and publicist styles, combining formulaic standardization with expressive persuasive techniques. The most productive stylistic figures include anaphora, antithesis, gradation, and tripartite constructions, which structure the text, foreground key agenda provisions, and enhance its rhythmic and intonational organization. Repetition explicates institutional authority, antithesis sharpens axiological oppositions, while gradation and tripartite patterns establish logical completeness and semantic hierarchy. It is concluded that the system of expressive means in the contemporary Speech from the Throne is integrative in its nature and is designed to ensure coherence, symbolic legitimacy, and pragmatic impact of the former on the British Parliament and society.

Review

The article, "Rhetoric of the modern Speech from the Throne," promises a comprehensive analysis of the expressive means and rhetorical strategies employed in Speeches from the Throne by British monarchs across the 20th and 21st centuries. The study positions itself as highly relevant, addressing a burgeoning scholarly interest in ritualized political rhetoric and advocating for an integrated reconsideration of the Speech from the Throne (SftT) as a distinct genre of institutional communication. Rather than merely viewing the SftT as a protocol text, the authors propose an approach that emphasizes its role as a strategically organized discourse designed to legitimize governmental agendas and foster the symbolic unity of the state, thus highlighting its profound linguistic, persuasive, and political potential. To achieve its aim of identifying principal stylistic and rhetorical devices, the article employs methods of linguostylistic and rhetorical analyses, meticulously applied to stylistically marked units at various linguistic levels, including lexical, morphological, and syntactic. The abstract reports significant findings, indicating that the SftT masterfully navigates the intersection of official and publicist styles, adeptly blending formulaic standardization with expressive persuasive techniques. The most productive stylistic figures identified include anaphora, antithesis, gradation, and tripartite constructions, which are shown to be instrumental in structuring the text, foregrounding key agenda provisions, and enhancing its rhythmic and intonational organization. The authors further detail how repetition underpins institutional authority, antithesis sharpens axiological oppositions, and how gradation alongside tripartite patterns contributes to logical completeness and semantic hierarchy within the discourse. In conclusion, the study asserts that the system of expressive means within the contemporary Speech from the Throne is inherently integrative, functioning to ensure the coherence, symbolic legitimacy, and pragmatic impact of the speech on both the British Parliament and society at large. This article appears poised to offer a significant contribution to the fields of discourse analysis, political communication, and stylistics by moving beyond a superficial understanding of ceremonial texts. Its detailed examination of specific rhetorical devices and their strategic functions provides valuable insights into how these ritualized forms of communication not only convey information but actively shape perception, reinforce authority, and construct national identity. The proposed analysis of how the SftT combines different stylistic registers and rhetorical techniques offers a robust framework for understanding the enduring power and adaptability of such institutional discourse.

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