An Enunciative Approach to Pathos in British General Election Manifestos

Abstract

The use of pathos is a well-known rhetorical device but, from a linguistic point of view, markers of this rhetorical device remain to be defined. In speeches, prosody and intonation may be used as indicators. The use of written media however, precludes any type of interpersonal displays of emotion, and yet the rhetoric put forward in manifestos does not elude emotion. Beyond explicit references to emotions, the language used in manifestos can be aimed at triggering an emotional response in the potential voter. This paper deals with fear-appeals in four 2010 General Election Manifestos (GEMs). Through a comparative study of the UKIP, BNP, Liberal Democrat party and Conservative party (GEMs), we first provide an analysis of the construction of the notion |fear| before turning to the notion |threat| perceived as one of the triggers of fear. In this way, this paper aims at formulating hypotheses about what the selected linguistic markers reveal concerning this rhetorical device.