PATHOS. Eine textlinguistische Analyse zweier Reden von Angela Merkel

Abstract

Nowadays the refugee policy is lively discussed in the public media. This essay examines the following: How does pathos appear in the speeches of Merkel? In the foreground is the rhetorical approach of Aristotle to pathos in the language of Merkel. In the theory chapter it is presented how pathos can occur in the speech. The politolinguistic approach is chosen because, from the linguistic perspective, it shows how language usage occurs in the media. Since the investigation data are two videos, is further the communicationoriented textlinguistic approach emphasized. It says that monologue utterances can be defined as text. In the videos, which are transcribed and analysed in this work, Merkel deals with the subject refugee policy. The results show: Merkel uses words and sentences that create closeness to the audience and create at the same time an effect of action. In the second speech, on the other hand, the pathetic language is not confirmed because she uses words and sentences here that can be interpreted very individually.