Stylistic Analysis of Selected Sermons Delivered by Pentecostal Preachers

Abstract

The language style of three Pentecostal sermons reveals figures of speech that not only carry artistic and rhetorical ingenuity but also enhance the effectiveness of the sermons’ impact on a congregation of believers. Pentecostal sermons make extensive use of the second singular personal pronoun ‘you’ to warn, rebuke, remind, and to command. These sermons engage both literal and metaphorical speech acts. To understand the Christian message conveyed in a sermon, factors including image schemas, the choice of pronoun and the speaker’s ecclesiastic knowledge should be addressed.