A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN VLADIMIR PUTIN’S 2007 MUNICH SPEECH

Abstract

This research is aimed at identifying the types and functions of figurative language in Vladimir Putin’s 2007 Munich Speech. This research is also aimed at revealing the responses of the audience in relation to the use of figurative language in the speech. Stylistics is applied in analyzing the figurative language since the researcher investigates the language and style.

This research applied the descriptive qualitative method. The data were taken from the Russian Government official website. The form of the data was utterances spoken by Vladimir Putin and the context of the data was the monologue of Vladimir Putin in his 2007 Munich Speech. Even though the  original speech and script were in Russian, the translated version of the script was taken from the Russian Government official website which was considered as  reliable. The data were collected by reading the script of the speech, identifying the utterances where figurative language was used and categorizing the data into a data sheet. The researcher acted as the primary instrument of the research while the script of the speech, video of the speech and data sheet were used as the secondary instruments of the research. The data were collected and categorized based on theories that were used and then the researcher drew the conclusions. Triangulation was applied to establish the trustworthiness of the data.

The results of the research are: (1) there are only seven out of twelve types of figurative language found based on Perrine’s theory, i.e. metaphor, simile, personification, synecdoche, paradox, irony and hyperbole; (2) among four functions of figurative language proposed by Perrine, only three are found in the speech. Bringing additional imagery is carried by metaphor, increasing emotional intensity is carried by metaphor and hyperbole and saying much in brief compass is carried by all the seven figures of speech found in the speech; (3) there are two types of responses toward the speech, the negative which sees it as a criticism to counter U.S. dominancy towards the globe and the positive one which sees it as an invitation to discussion.

Keywords: figurative language, types, functions, Vladimir Putin, 2007 Munich Speech