Speaker-audience Convergence and Divergence in Tanzanian Campaign Discourse

Abstract

AbstractThis paper illustrates how two Tanzanian presidential candidates deploydiscourse for self-legitimation and other-delegitimation purposes. It also􀁈􀁛􀁄􀁐􀁌􀁑􀁈􀁖􀀃􀁄􀁘􀁇􀁌􀁈􀁑􀁆􀁈􀁖􀂷􀀃􀁘􀁑􀁇􀁈􀁕􀁖􀁗􀁄􀁑􀁇􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁖􀁗􀁕􀁄􀁗􀁈􀁊􀁌􀁈􀁖􀀃the candidates used with aview to finding out whether their understanding and the dual function of thestrategies converge or diverge. The paper examines four campaign speechesgiven by former President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and Dr Wilbroad Slaaduring the 2010 presidential election campaign (two speeches by eachcandidate). The three questions guiding this paper are: How did the candidateslegitimate themselves and delegitimate each other? What is the target􀁄􀁘􀁇􀁌􀁈􀁑􀁆􀁈􀁖􀂷􀀃􀁘􀁑􀁇􀁈􀁕􀁖􀁗􀁄􀁑􀁇􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁉􀁘􀁑􀁆􀁗􀁌􀁒􀁑􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁖􀁗􀁕􀁄􀁗􀁈􀁊􀁌􀁈􀁖􀀃􀁘􀁖􀁈􀁇􀀃􀁗􀁒􀀃􀁇􀁒􀀃􀁖􀁒􀀢􀀃􀀧􀁒􀁈􀁖􀀃their understanding depart from the function the strategies performed or not?Critical Discourse Analysis (henceforth CDA) is used to analyse the speeches.􀀬􀁑􀀃 􀁓􀁄􀁕􀁗􀁌􀁆􀁘􀁏􀁄􀁕􀀏􀀃 􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃 􀁄􀁑􀁄􀁏􀁜􀁖􀁌􀁖􀀃 􀁌􀁖􀀃 􀁇􀁒􀁑􀁈􀀃 􀁘􀁖􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃 􀀷􀁋􀁈􀁒􀀃 􀁙􀁄􀁑􀀃 􀀯􀁈􀁈􀁘􀁚􀁈􀁑􀂷􀁖􀀃 􀁇􀁌􀁖􀁆􀁘􀁕􀁖􀁌􀁙􀁈􀀃semantic-functional approach. The findings show that the candidates deployedcertain discursive strategies for self-legitimation and other-delegitimationpurposes, of which some of the participants were aware. The other functionssuggested by a fair number of participants are seeking to serve Tanzanians andlying. But it is shown that, if the participants had pr􀁒􀁅􀁈􀁇􀀃 􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃 􀁆􀁄􀁑􀁇􀁌􀁇􀁄􀁗􀁈􀁖􀂷􀀃􀁏􀁄􀁑􀁊􀁘􀁄􀁊􀁈􀀃 􀁉􀁘􀁕􀁗􀁋􀁈􀁕􀀏􀀃 􀁗􀁋􀁈􀁜􀀃 􀁚􀁒􀁘􀁏􀁇􀁑􀂷􀁗􀀃 􀁋􀁄􀁙􀁈􀀃 􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁌􀁒􀁑􀁈􀁇􀀃 􀁉􀁘􀁑􀁆􀁗􀁌􀁒􀁑􀁖􀀃 􀁖􀁘􀁆􀁋􀀃 􀁄􀁖􀀃 􀁖􀁈􀁈􀁎􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃 􀁗􀁒􀀃serve. This divergence implies that consumers of campaign speeches need topay close attention to language to understand what candidates say.Key words: Self-legitimation, other-delegitimation, discourse, CDA, serve,lying, understanding, convergence, divergence, Kikwete, Slaa