Investigating Kinaesthetic Image Schemas In The Construction Of The Self And The Other In Bush’s Discourse Of The War On Terror: A Critical Discourse Analysis
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Date
2010
Authors
P Rajoo Naidu, Sivabala Naidu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This study investigates kinaesthetic image schemas (KIS) involved in the discursive construction of the self and other in 24 radio addresses pertaining to the War on Terror articulated by the former US President, George W. Bush. The speeches were investigated according to two broad divisions: the pre-war and post war corpuses, each consisting of 12 speeches.
The main theory that informs this study is the cognitive theory of metaphor developed by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). Specifically, this study attempted to identify the types of KIS based on linguistic triggers or cues and tabulate their frequencies of occurrence in relation to the positive-us and negative-other construction embedded in the speeches. For this purpose, eight KIS were specifically selected as the basis of categorisation of the linguistic cues: UP DOWN, FRONT BACK, SIZE, CONTAINER, CENTRE PERIPHERY, LINK, PART WHOLE and PATH schemas.
Subsequently, a socio-cognitive Critical Discourse Analysis framework was applied to interpret and explain the bipolar positive-us and negative-other representation in the two sets of corpuses in relation to the eight image schemas. The study also attempted to establish the institutional mental models (or underlying attitudes)
inherent in the radio addresses. Finally, the most dominant image schematic structures and the mental models were used to establish a list of conceptual metaphors that are thought to permeate the entire 24 radio addresses related to the War on Terror.
On the whole, this study illustrates that KIS in discourse can be investigated from a critical discourse analytical perspective to gain insights into the ideological viewpoints that organise the attitudes shared by members of a group from where the discourse originates. In addition, this study has also shown that the most dominant conceptual metaphors present in discourse, which also reveal the underlying attitudes and beliefs, can be established on the basis of the kinaesthetic image schematic patterns.
This study, thus, recommends that more research integrating socio-cognitive and critical approaches to the study of discourse pertaining to the other is conducted to better understand how cognitive frameworks (such as metaphors) present in the mind are manifested linguistically. This will bring about a greater awareness on how negative out-group ideology is perpetuated in discourse, subsequently presenting opportunities for scholars to initiate counter-cognitive models to challenge negative stereotypes about the other.
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Keywords
Investigating kinaesthetic image schemas in the construction of the self , and the other in Bush’s discourse of the war on terror