German Political Discourse : An Exemplary Cultural and Discourse-Theoretical Analysis on the Basis of Selected Political Speeches
Abstract
The aim and purpose of this study is to gain insight into West German culture on the basis of a cultural-linguistic discourse analysis of texts. Ten parliamentary speeches by prominent West German politicians were analyzed.
Thereby, central elements and characteristics of West German political discourse were captured and assembled into an overall picture. The latter allowed conclusions about West German culture as a whole.
For example, central ʻvaluesʼ were identified that underlie and regulate the West German inter-discourse. The analysis of ʻnormativesʼ and ʻstereotypesʼ allowed statements about West German normality range.
It was possible to develop an idea of what is ʻnormalʼ in West German culture and what is not. Finally, the analysis of linguistic forms of ʻoppositionʼ provided information on the discursive means of demarcation within a discourse as well as in culture in general.