AXIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF J. BIDEN’S INAUGURATION SPEECH (LINGUOSTYLISTIC ASPECT)

Abstract

Value-based orientation is one of the basic components of communication process. Politician’s public speech, especially if it is an inauguration speech of a newly elected president, can be regarded as an efficient means of transmitting vital axiological dominants in terms of strategies of presentation, self-presentation and appeal. The purpose of the article is to determine axiological potential of inauguration speech by means of exposure of axiological dominants – value-based orienting point, which function as supporting elements of its structural and logical composition from the perspective of linguostylistic analysis. In general axiological orienting points play a significant role in motivation activity and are widely used as instruments of implementation of manipulative and affecting potential in speaker’s verbal behavior. This research helped to single out a number of axiological dominants among which is the will of the people, the day (inauguration day), democracy, American way, nation, unity. Their verbal representation is accomplished by means of meliorative emotive lexis and stylistic devices of different language levels. It was noted that stylistic devices of syntactic level including parallel constructions, gradation, parceling and syntactic repetition prevail. The speaker’s communicative behavior can be characterized by a high level of efficiency particularly due to the usage of expressive means in the process of foregrounding the key elements of electorate’s axiological sphere.