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Exploring Simile in Political Speeches through Corpus Techniques
PJAEE, 18 (4) (2021)
794
"Exploring Simile in Political Speeches through Corpus Techniques"
1Shakir Ullah, 2Dr. Tehseen Zahra, 3Dr. Faisal Khan, 4Aziz Ahmad,
5Prof. Dr. Arab Naz*
1PhD Scholar, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan
2Assistant Professor, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan
3Assistant Professor, Department of Management Sciences, University of
Swabi, KPK, Pakistan
4Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Malakand,
Pakistan
5Department of Sociology, University of Malakand, Pakistan
arab_naz@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The use of rhetorical devices practiced in antiquity in Aristotle’s time and reached to the present
through Renaissance (Goodnight, 2014). These devices impart color to the meanings. The focus
remains here on rhetorical devices as it has been the burgeoning interest of researchers. This paper
tends to delve similes used by political leaders in their speeches. The present study probes into
similes that are used by political leaders in their speeches. Firstly, similes are explored, and their
structures are analyzed. Secondly, linking words (as and like) are taken as node words and each
side of them is taken for structural analysis to find out phrases. Thirdly, this study explores the
frequencies of linking words, as or like and structures at right and left collocates/context. Later,
functions of the structural categories were analyzed. Structural categories including, noun phrase
(NP) + node word + noun phrase and verb phrase (VP) + node word + NP. The corpus contains
twenty speeches delivered by politicians in 20th century. The corpus of 74,470 words was built.
We tagged whole data through TagAnt (Anthony, 2015). Later node words, like and as are
analyzed through AntConc (Anthony, 2018). We selected only those occurrences where linking
words as and like are served as simile. Findings reveal that NP + node word + NP and VP + node
word + VP frequently occurred in selected corpus. In these two phrases, NP received high
frequencies. Similarly, as occurred frequently than like. It was also kept under consideration that
NP found both in right and left contexts of the node words while VP was found only in left contexts.
The utmost use of these smiles revealed their functional features where they are used to convey
different meanings.
Shakir Ullah, Dr. Tehseen Zahra, Dr. Faisal Khan, Aziz Ahmad, Prof. Dr. Arab
Naz, Exploring Simile in Political Speeches through Corpus Techniques--
Palarch’s Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology 18(4). ISSN 1567-214x
Keywords: Corpus, phrases, right and left collocates, simile, structural analysis.
Exploring Simile in Political Speeches through Corpus Techniques
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1. Introduction
The word rhetoric goes back to trace its origin and history in ancient Greek
as defined by Aristotle, rhetorical is usage of language for persuasion of audience
and to impress them in favor of something or against something. According to
Charteris-Black (2014), rhetoric is revised and practiced since Aristotle’s time and
is popular an academic discipline in American universities. Rhetoric is one of the
most important persuasion keys for arousing human feeling for accepting or
rejecting someone or something, that is done when words are used properly and
have strong effective role in transmission of meaning with suitable situation and
proper order. Moreover, Aristotle said that rhetoric should appeal to audience for
convincing them in three different ways; ethos (to activate the speaker’s character),
pathos (to evoke the audience’s emotion) and logos (to make logical connection
between the previous two). He (Aristotle) also gave three categories for delivering
speech: epidictic (a formal way of speech to blame or praise), forensic (speech in
court which expresses someone/something guilt or innocence), and deliberative
(that category appeals to audience to make decision about an issue). He further
categorized rhetoric proofs in two kinds; enthymeme (to provide proofs by
syllogism) and paradeigma (to give proof by example).
Simile is frequently used device of figure of speeches, and always appears
in English literature (Fengjie, Jia and Yingying 2016). According to Tilak (2007),
simile is indirect comparison between two things or ideas that have shared qualities,
but these things or events would have different kinds and the comparison between
them would be vividly exposed. The present study attempts to analyze the structural
features of similes in the speeches delivered on specific moments for political
purpose.
2. Literature Review
Khdair (2016) reflects that politicians use rhetorical devices as tools for
different situations to convey their meaning very effectively but the sharpest one is
repetition that they use purposely for an indirect way in the political discourse.
Katrandjiev, Velinov and Radova (2016) work is based on advertising slogan, in
which they identify different rhetorical figures and focus on their use and effective
communication along with meaning and attraction. They explored that metaphor is
the most frequently used in advertising slogan other than rest of rhetorical figures.
Goodnight (2014) points out by saying that rhetoric is practiced in modern age, but
it extended from classical through Renaissance. In modern, it appeals to special way
of expression that cultivates practices for communication to achieve sustainable
deep emotion of audience. To gain the support of audience is not secured by
philosophy or mathematics, but it is rhetoric that must control the continual
attention of audience. Similarly, another study based on persuasive rhetoric by
Cirugeda and Ruiz (2013) explicates that Obama got deeper feeling of his audience
by using rhetoric through which he persuaded them. He used these devices to
understand them and made clear his political ideology. Most of the time he took
conceptual metaphor along with other persuasive rhetoric as personification,
repetition and synesthesia.
Talik (2007) sheds light on figure of speeches that figures are used to present
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an image of thing/event in clear manner. McQuarrie and Mick (1993) expound that
use of rhetorical devices is a specific effort that are used for achieving desired goals.
Further, they stress figures of speech have historical practice which seeks specific
words combination for the fields in which those words suit evocatively. Specially,
it encircles the Classical rhetoric that focuses on audience motivations. In addition
to, pun and hyperbole always take place in advertisements.
Fengjie, Jia and Yingying (2016) put that rhetoric is the art of powerful
expression in effective way but hidden that influence, persuade and impress
audience. Their study highlights rhetorical devices that appear in oral speech. They
tell that speech does not mean the echo of applause, but it also returns a warm
enlightenment on audience. Speech is a short way of communication that takes short
time but conveys effective meaning that attracts audience’s emotion. Specially,
politicians take many advantages of rhetorical devices. They took Obama’s name
for such type of using words that he uses rhetorical devices and gains people’s
wishes. They say that Obama has used: alliteration, metaphor, simile, synecdoche,
metonymy, parallelism and antithesis. Chetia (2015) opines that rhetorical devices
are different tools that bring beauty, changes, lucidity, strength, and force to
language. Rhetoric is especially famous in English advertisement. She discovered
rhetorical devices such as simile, personification and metaphor that are found in
English advertisement in India. She disclosed that simile is the comparison between
different ideas or things, but they would have some resemblance in some way.
Regmi (2014) says that figures of speech are used for presenting different
varieties through simile, metaphor, images, symbols and personifications. Speakers
and writers have strong intentions for making a language colorful, for which they
use rhetorical figures. They catch the idea of audience and elaborate specific points
with the help of figures of speech. He also tells that these devices enhance the
curiosity of learning of a language. Basically, the usage of rhetorical creates
conducive moment. The study of Al-Hamad (2011) analyzes the figures of speech
used by Syrian politicians for gaining political advantages. The authors encircle four
figures of speech: metaphor, simile, euphemism and personification.
According to Carnie (2103) noun phrase could be a noun, pronoun, mass
and countable noun. It is also noticeable that noun phrase starts with an article,
determiner, and ends with a noun. Further, he says that noun phrase starts with an
article, determiner followed by an adjective (optional) and ends with a noun. Verb
phrase consists of a verb only or helping verb with main verb. Adjective phrase
contains two adjectives followed by a noun or one adverb + adjective followed by
a noun. Prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with a noun.
Persuasive and rhetorical speeches have taken wide attention since Greek times.
Therefore, linguists pay meticulous attention to the analysis of such speeches.
Politicians use figures of speech that attract and persuade public sphere. Simile is
one of the literary devices that may persuade hearers. Hence, there is a need to
explore the structural and functional features of simile that may impart literariness
to political discourse.
The primary objectives of the study are to explore smiles carrying as and
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like as node words in the selected data. The frequencies of node words (as and like)
are explored and structural features of phrases found on each side of the node words
are elaborated. After finding the structures of phrases, their functional features are
explored and explained in particular context.
Keeping in view the objectives of the study, we designed following research
questions.
Q. What are the frequently occurring phrases carrying as and like in the
selected corpus?
Q. What are the structural properties of the phrases on each side of linking
words in the selected corpus?
Q. Which linking words (as or like) are used frequently with phrases in the
similes?
3. Methodology and Theoretical Framework
The data for this study is collected from speeches of renown political
speakers of 20th century as mentioned in Table 1. The corpus of 74,470 words is
built for this analysis. Table 1: Details of selected speeches
S. No
Speakers
Titles
Delivered
Gende
r
Words
1
Martin Luther King
I have a dream
28 August
1963
Male
1,686
2
Franklin Delano Ro
osevelt
First Inaugural
Address
4 March 1933
Male
1,946
3
Barbara Charline Jor
dan
1976 Democratic
National
Convention
Keynote Address
12 July 1976
Femal
e
1,901
4
Richard M. Nixon
Checkers
23 September
1952
Male
4,750
5
Malcolm X
The Ballot or the
Bullet
12 April 1964
Male
7,981
6
Ronald Reagan
The Space
Shuttle
"Challenger"
Tragedy Address
28 January
1986
Male
665
7
Lyndon Baines John
son
Address to a Joint
Session of
Congress on
Voting
Legislation
15 March 1965
Male
3,769
8
Mario Matthew Cuo
mo
1984 Democratic
National
Convention
Keynote Address
16 July 1984
Male
4,325
9
Jesse Louis Jackson
1984 Democratic
National
Convention
Address
18 July 1984
Male
5,012
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10
General Douglas Ma
cArthur
Farewell
Address to
Congress
19 April 1951
Male
3,247
11
Martin Luther King
I've Been to the
Mountaintop
3 April 1968
Male
4,432
12
Theodore Roosevelt
The Man with the
Muck-rake
14 April 1906
Male
3,318
13
Robert F. Kennedy
Remarks on the
Assassination of
Martin Luther
King
4 April 1968
Male
656
14
Dwight D. Eisenho
wer
Farewell
Address
17 January
1961
Male
1,958
15
Woodrow Wilson
War Message
2 April 1917
Male
3,684
16
General Douglas Ma
cArthur
Sylvanus Thayer
Award
Acceptance
Address
12 May 1962
Male
2,066
17
Ronald Reagan
A Time for
Choosing (aka
"The Speech")
27 October
1964
Male
4645
18
Huey P. Long
Every Man a
King -- Radio
Speech to the
Nation
23 February
1934
Male
4975
19
Anna Howard Shaw
The
Fundamental
Principle of a
Republic
21 June 1915
Male
9550
20
Ronald Reagan
Remarks at the
Annual
Convention of the
National
Association of
Evangelicals
8 March 1983
Male
3904
Total Words
74,470
The research focuses on the analysis of similes used by politicians in these
speeches. Frequencies of linking words as and like are explored where only those
occurrences were considered for analysis where they serve as similes. We examined
the phrases in the immediate context of these linking words to determine their
structures and functions. We cleaned the data manually and also used an online
freeware TextFixer. Later, we tagged the data through TagAnt (Anthony, 2015).
Tagging has exemplification to represent words correctly like a tag price (e.g. words
are categorized based on their functions and use such as can is tagged as a noun and
can is a verb/auxiliary that is automatically labeled). After cleaning, the data was
analyzed through AntConc (Anthony, 2018).
Conrad and Biber (2005) proposed a framework on the classification of
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lexical bundles. They elaborated two types of classification; structural and
functional classification of lexical bundles. For this study, initially we identified
various structures like lexical bundles are observed in right and left context of the
node word though the lens of noun phrase, verb phrase, adjective phrase, and
prepositional phrase and then every category is divided into sub-categories. Second,
the functional features which show the functions of the bundles of words in a
discourse context are identified and explained. We examined the right and left
collocate of each concordance. Functional category is divided into four different
sub categories; stance expression, discourse organizer, referential expression and
special conversational functions.
The structural properties of similes are explored through AntConc
(Anthony, 2018). Initially, node words, as and like are explored in search bar and
their right and left collocates are identified in terms of their structural categories.
This study has been delimited to only two structural categories (NP + node word +
NP and VP + node word + NP). Later the functions of these categories are explored
by considering their usages in particular context.
4. Analysis
Firstly, all those occurrences having as and like were explored. Secondly,
those phrases (occurred at the right and left side of the node word) were highlighted.
Thirdly, the linking words as and like (also serve as simile) were focused and their
frequencies were noticed with various phrases. Fourthly, the functional features
associated with the phrase structures were categorized according.
Conrad and Biber (2005) proposed four phrase structures that are given at
number 1 in Table 2, Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5. Further, we proposed 12 more
structural categories that are stated in italicized form in Table 2, Table 3, Table 4
and Table 5.
Table:2 Noun phrase and its proposed structures with other phrases.
1). Noun phrase + node words (as /
like) + noun phrase.
2). Noun phrase + node word (as /
like) + verb phrase.
3). Noun phrase + node word (as /
like) + adjective phrase (AP).
4). Noun phrase + node word (as /
like) + prepositional phrase (PP).
Table: 3 Verb phrase and its proposed structures with other phrases.
5). Verb phrase + node word (as / like)
+ noun phrase.
6) Verb phrase + node word (as /
like) + verb phrase.
7). Verb phrase + node word (as /
like) + adjective phrase.
8). Verb phrase + node word (as /
like) + prepositional phrase.
Table: 4 Adjective phrase and its proposed structures with other phrases.
9). Adjective phrase + node word (as
/ like) + noun phrase.
10) Adjective phrase + node word (as
/ like) + verb phrase.
11). Adjective phrase + node word
(as / like) + adjective phrase.
12). Adjective phrase + node word
(as / like) + prepositional phrase.
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Table: 5 Prepositional phrase and its proposed structures with other phrases.
13). Prepositional phrase + node word
(as / like) + noun phrase.
14). Prepositional phrase + node
word (as / like) + verb phrase.
15). Prepositional phrase + node
word (as / like) + adjective phrase.
16). Prepositional phrase + node
word (as / like) + prepositional
phrase.
In this study, TagAnt (Anthony, 2015) was used to tag the whole data and
combinations of various phrases are explored through Ant Conc. We found that NP
+ node word + NP has highest frequency (40 times) and VP + node word + NP
carried second highest frequency (34 times). We delimited this study on these two
frequently occurring combinations.
4.1 Results related to every proposed structure
The data reveals that phrase structure NP + node word + NP carries the
highest frequency in the corpus. Node words like/as are browsed through search bar
in AntConc (Anthony, 2018) and their collocates are selected for phrase structure
analysis. These phrase structures are observed after tagging through TagAnt
(Anthony, 2015) as shown in figure 1 and 2.
Figure: 1 The frequencies of NP + NP with linking word like
Figure: 2 The frequencies of NP + NP with linking word as
We explored similes through AntConc (Anthony, 2018) and added as and
like as node words in the search options. Phrases on right and left collocates of the
node words were analyzed. Table: 2 includes four parts but the only part: Noun
phrase + node word + noun phrase received the highest occurrences. Here the
focus was given to the node words firstly, and then each side of them was chosen
for analysis of the phrases. Table: 3 contains the verb phrase in relation to three
other phrases.
Figure:3 The frequencies of VP + NP with linking word like
Verb phrase + node word + noun phrase structures were examined that
carried second highest frequency in the corpus as shown in figure 3 and 4. NP +
node word + NP and VP + node word + NP were analyzed, having the frequencies
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of 40 and 34 respectively in concordance line.
Figure:4 The frequencies of VP + NP with linking word as
The linking words (as and like) were taken as node words in both structures;
NP + node word + NP and VP + node word + NP. The linking word as was found
more than like.
In this study, we also focus on functions of the selected structures. Functional
features were associated to NP + node word + NP and VP + node word + NP. Table
6 shows the functions and patterns of the selected structures.
Table: 6 Functional features and patterns of NP + node word + NP
Function
Examples
Commitment
Patriotism
Rules
Encouragement
Subalterns
Righteousness like a mighty stream
Righteousness like a mighty stream
Righteousness like a never-failing
stream
Foundation like the rock of honesty
Column like a rooster
Democratic principles as a fixed
beacon
Use hope and imagination as weapons
Hubert Humphrey as a balm
Social security as a step towards
meeting
Their fellow men as pawns and tools
Pattern
Examples
Abstract with concrete
Abstract with abstract
Concrete with concrete
Concrete with abstract
Righteousness with a mighty stream
Righteousness with a mighty stream
Righteousness with a never-failing
stream
Democratic principles with fixed
beacon
Hope and imagination with weapons
Security with step
Column with a roaster
Hubert Humphrey with a balm
Men with pawns and tools
Foundation with the rock of honesty
Politicians use similes for comparing different things and ideas to convince their
audience, as they use hope for weapons and encourage them.
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Table:7 Functional features and patterns of VP + node word + NP
Function
Examples
Boast
Gratification
Encouragement
Justice roll on like a river
Justice roll down like waters
You shall be as god
America is more like a quilt
America is not like a blanket
Guidepost stands out like a ten-fold
beacon
We most moved as train
It is as old as our history
Decree came as a great beacon
It came as joyous daybreak
Pattern
Examples
Abstract with concrete
Concrete with concrete
Justice with water
Justice with water
Decree with great beacon
Justice with joyous daybreak
You with god
America with quilt
America with blanket
Guidepost with beacon
We with train
Tower with history
Politicians use similes for different purposes but follow different patterns
according to needs. They try to color the language with these patterns and attract
their attentions.
4.2 Result and Discussion
Findings of the study reveal that NP + node word + NP occur more frequently than
VP + node word + NP.
Figure :5 The frequencies of frequently occurring phrases with linking words
Figure: 5 shows that NP + node word + NP has 40 occurrences in total,
0
10
20
30
40
50
NP+node word+NP VP+node word+NP
Frequences of frequently occurred
phrases with linking words
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node word (like/as) serve as simile. Hence in total, as serve as simile in 34
occurrences while like serves as linking word in 6 occurrences. VP + node word +
NP has 34 occurrences in total while as occurred 24 times and like occurred 10
times.
Occurrences of frequently occurred phrases
If we talk about phrases in particular
Figure: 6 Total occurrences of NP (114) and VP (34)
Figure: 6 revealed the frequencies of each phrase; noun phrase and verb
phrase. Phrase structure, NP + node word + NP has 40 instances and it had noun
phrases on each side of the node word so it NP has 80 instances in total. Phrase
structure, VP + node word + NP has 34 instances in which right collocate comprise
of noun phrase. Therefore, noun phrase carry high frequency than verb phrase.
These 40 + 40 + 34 += 114 created highest score.
Table: 8 The total frequencies of the proposed structures
Part
Phrases with linking/node words
Occurrences
1
Noun phrase + node word + noun phrase
40
2
Verb phrase + node word + noun phrase
34
The second highest phrase structure, VP + node word + NP that has 34
occurrences having left collocate as verb phrase (VP). Hence verb phrase has only
34 occurrences in total.
Total frequencies of phrases with linking words as and like
Figure: 7 The Frequencies of phrases with linking/node words as and like
0
50
100
150
Noun Phrase Verb Phrase
Total Ocurrences of Frequently Occurred
Phrases
0
10
20
30
40
NP+ node word +NP VP+node word+NP
Frequencies of phrases with node words as
and like
Frequencies of phrases with linking words as and like as
Frequencies of phrases with linking words as and like like
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The linking words (as and like) were only found in NP + node word + NP
and VP + node word + NP, in which the liking word as has high frequency than
like. The analysis reveals that NP + node word + NP has 40 occurrences in which
34 having node word (as) and VP + node word + NP has 34 occurrences in total in
which 24 has (as) as a node word. Based on these results, node word as has 58
occurrences at all while like has 16 occurrences in total. Hence it can be concluded
that NP exist frequently with similes in the corpus of political speeches.
Furthermore, the analysis also reveals that as is frequently used in similes.
Similarly, it is also interesting that only NP has relationship with NP through simile
while the relationship of VP with VP does not exist in this corpus. It is also noticed
that NP has occurrences both in left and right collocates of the node word while VP
has only in left contexts.
Functional features
Politicians use figures of speech for getting desired goals and convincing
their audience. For instance, ‘righteousness like a mighty stream’ is used because
water has power and strength, and no one can stop it. It can wash all the dirty things
and bring greenery that symbolizes hope and power. Therefore, the speaker uses
this simile to refer to the purity of thoughts and complete commitment in terms of
providing basic rights to the minorities.
The next one is ‘foundation like the rock of honesty’ that shows sincerity
and patriotism. Everything needs a basic or strong foundation that gives strength to
rest of the building but here it is also mentioned honesty that gives more mental
satisfaction to the audience. ‘Column like a rooster’ was another stance that
expresses deep idea, ‘Rooster’ was used that shows the power and difference
between common and specific things and attracts its onlookers. To sustain the idea
of rules among the citizen such type of words is used that brings better results
‘Democratic principles as a fixed beacon’. Principles were mentioned that are the
need of every human, but beacon is used to satisfy the rules and followers of the
leaders. ‘Use hope and imagination as weapons’, here the speaker tries to express
the strengths of human beings that their imagination and hopeful behavior are their
powers that can serve as a weapon to rule the world. Hope and imagination may
take the person on the right way that brings light (success) in future. That also
creates sympathy and understanding among humans and establishes regularity and
balance in the progress of a nation.
‘Hubert Humphrey as a balm’, Hubert Humphrey is the name of the leader
that may be used to get the attention of the audience or may be used to bring tranquil
features in the lives of his followers and balm is an ointment that brings calmness
during the pain. ‘Social security as a step’ was used where security signifies the
basic need of humans that always affects the lives of human.
Law in every country promotes justice. ‘Justice roll on like a river’, was
taken as an example that shows that river has the power that can’t stop. River
symbolizes unconsciousness, similarly laws should be unconscious of the status and
standards of human beings and should be same for all. ‘America is more like a quilt
and America is not like a blanket’, this sounds a satisfying statement for the hearers
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as American has more opportunities like quilt has many patches. If you will work
more for the betterment of your country and your life, you will open further doors
of opportunities that may lead to success. Further, the word blanket reflects a single
piece that is not having different patches. Patches may also reflect the whole make-
up of a nation that may comprised of the rich and the poor of a country. Overall,
they contribute in the progress of a country.
‘Your guidepost stands out like a ten-fold beacon in the night’, it shows an
obvious reason of encouragement. Guidepost is taken for guidance and beacon
shows a light for giving signal that provides information. ‘It (tower) is as old as our
history’, here, ‘it’ was used for ‘tower’ and signifies history. Basically, history has
various features and aspects that represent the lives of a group, community or a
country. Tower represents age as well as strength. ‘This momentous decree came as
a great beacon’, here decree is an abstract thing but for giving importance to it,
beacon was taken that made its affect more. Beacon is visible and on the top of peak
that may show alarming situation or warning sign. ‘It (justice) came as joyous
daybreak’, justice is compared with joyous daybreak. Actually, both represent
happiness and prosperity. But here, the use of joyous daybreak adds meaning to
convince the audience. ‘This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of
hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering
injustice’ and Decree is an abstract thing but for giving importance to it, beacon was
taken that made its affect more. Beacon is visible and on the top of peak that can
indicate alarming and warning. Further, it gives more clarity and closeness with ‘It
(justice) came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity’, justice
is compared with joyous daybreak. Actually, both represent happiness and
prosperity. But here, the use of joyous daybreak adds meaning to convince the
audience.
Finally, the simile, ‘Their fellow men as pawns and tools’ is used by the
political speakers in order to refer back to the black people who have always been
subjugated by the white communities in American societies. King Martin Luther
synopsizes the serious concerns about the future of the black community through
this simile. American constitution has provided all citizens with equal rights to all.
However, such rights were denied sometimes by Americans through their acts as
the white are considered superior than the black. If we pay a close attention to the
etymology of the simile, one is stricken by spontaneity of the situation. By dint of
such comparisons, the speaker achieves his goal which is asking for the equal
representation and rights for the black community.
In a nutshell, we can summarize that similes are not only confined to
literature and poetry. They are also part and parcel of political speeches and may be
used for getting the targeted goals, for aesthetic pleasure, and finally for
communicating hidden notions and ideas. In this case, if we pay heed to the above
usage of similes, we can find ideological usages of similes here like for demanding
the equal rights for the black people (justice), secondly, they are used for covering
a bitter idea through using positive similes (righteousness, honesty, hope and social
security). Moreover, they are also used for the purpose of euphemizing certain truths
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so to make them more acceptable and less projectable. As ‘We most moved as train’
it gives an order to everyone that everyone needs struggle, but the speakers used the
term very skillfully.
There are limitations of this study that are useful for in-depth analysis of the
corpus. First, it is limited to 20 speeches, delivered by 20th century great
personalities and most of them had political upbringing. Secondly, it focuses on
structural and functional features of phrase structures/phrases (NP + node word +
NP and VP + node word + NP) on each side of the linking word. These phrases
were taken as right and left collocates of the node words (as and like).
5. Conclusion
In this study a single rhetoric device (simile) has been examined. The
structural and functional features of similes were analyzed. Conrad and Biber
(2005) model was proposed for examing similes in the study. The model has two
basic parts structural and functional features that were taken for the analysis to find
results in the speeches of political leaders. The structural features of two phrases
(noun and verb) were analyzed because they occur frequently in the corpus. The
findings of the study shed light on the frequencies of linking words that as has more
instances than linking word like. The node words as and like carry the frequencies
of 58 and 16 respectively. Similarly, NP occurs frequently than VP having the
frequencies of 114 and 34 receptively. This was also a point of great interest that
NP occurred both in right and left collocates while VP occurred only on left context.
These smiles perform various functions in spoken political discourse commitment,
patriotism, rules, encouragement, subalterns, boast, gratification and
encouragement. Along with this, different patterns were found like abstract noun
with concrete noun, abstract noun with abstract noun, concrete noun with concrete
noun, concrete noun with abstract noun were compared to explore various functions
performed by similes.
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