A PRAGMA-STYLISTIC STUDY OF DONALD TRUMP'S TWEETS IN 2018

Abstract

The present study is concerned with analyzing Trump's tweets in 2018 pragma-stylistically. It aims at investigating the use and frequencies of the pragmatic components, namely, speech acts, politeness and impoliteness strategies, Grice's maxims and referring expressions, which are utilized by Trump in his tweets in 2018. Both linguistic and extralinguistc factors are taken into consideration when approaching the tweets under scrutiny. A model is proposed by the study to conduct a qualitative pragma-stylistic analysis consisting of Searle (1969), Grice (1975), Brown and Levinson (1987), Culpeper (1996, 2005) and Culpeper and Haugh (2014). Frequencies and percentages are also utilized to calculate the results quantitatively. The analysis of the data shows that the pragmatic components which characterize Trump's pragmatic style are the speech acts of quoting and criticizing, positive politeness, positive impoliteness, flouting the maxim of quality and definite expressions. The results reveal that certain stages are followed while tweeting, Trump’s style seems to be insulting and implicature plays a great role in his tweets.