24 J. Plowerdew and L. M and language, ‘TESOL, ay? TESOL Quarterly, Hong Kong: Report ofthe University ie Commissioned by the Secretary for Education anal Manpower. Ho ). The content of the form: Ne fe, MD: Johns Hopkins Uni ive discourse and historical iy Press egresentation, R POLITICAL DISCOURSE AND ITS SOCIOLINGUISTIC VARIABLES ANTONIO REYESRODRIGUEZ at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Routledge “perme op26 A, Reyes-Rodrigure of language that is located between written and oral language, a genre between a literary text and a cast majority are ressage is orally ransmitted. However, it does differ from other oral varieties They are not the typical form of face-to-face content of the speech is not directly influenced by the audience's reaction (see Atkinson, 1984)” (Dedaic, 2006). In the oral manifestation of language, paralinguis lures are often used to help deliver the message: “This can be vocal (tone of voice, intonation, pause, emphasis) or non- vocal (gesture, facial expression)”* (Milroy & Milroy, 1985, p. Political speech usually reflects less frequency of paralingui nonvocal features than other oral manifestations, for example, fewer gestures than in a casual conversation. In addition, political speeches are normally unidirectional messages with little or no read aloud from a written text or an outline, ure, except in 30 fa as some nonconversational speech (‘spoken prose, ures, sermons) ten in this respect’ 64). Under this view, political speech is a formal variety organized in a manner betwee ed” discourse; poli . in her terms, a planned form of discourse and therefore a formal variety of speech, which depends heavily on vritten texts. ‘Standardization and Political Discourses A clear function of the written system of languages is to enforce or sustain standardization (Milroy & Milroy, 1985). Standard- ization is motivated by various social, political, and commercial needs and, as such, “standardization aims to ensure fixed values for the counters in a system" (Milroy & Milroy, 1985, p. 23) ‘Therefore, we need to speak more abstractly of standardization as an ideology (Milroy & Milroy, 1985), as an artificial product of certain ideology. Since standardization is based on abstracted rules, and because it doesn’t reflect casual speech, standardiza- tion needs to be taught. We are dealing, then, with education and Political Discourse and Us Sociolinguistic Variables 27 therefore, we are establishing a limit in access to cer social classes. non for middle- dard varieties. Blommacrt idren from privileged backgrounds would Ypically control the ‘elaborate’ codes ... and the educa system would systematically tend to attribute higher value to the elaborate codes.” (2005, p. 13). There is a social production and Feproduction of linguistic capital, and educational institutions (i.c., Real academia Fspafiola [Spanish Royal Academy]) work on ‘value” of that capital: standard Spanish (Bourdieu, (2005) affirms 2001). Bernstein (1971) was one of the first in pointing out the correlation between “elaborate code" and speakers of a rela- tively high status who have control over society's major resources social, cultural, and economic factors). Since planned discourse and written language are closely related, authors such as Stubbs 980), L. Milroy (1973), and Labov (1972) affirm that aqui ion of elaborate code is tied up with acquisition of literacy ely welleducated and high status speakers are likely to nmest command of speaking publicly using formal styles. Therefore politicians would normally be individuals with a control of standard varieties. That would imply that they had cess to education, and, therefore, they must be people of ce socio-economic status (upper classes).2 The control of standardized vari study) by politicians will provide 1980), and finally “authority” (Milroy, 1985) Present their personal goals and public service. Standardization and accessibility to the standard code is defined, then, by social Parameters, and therefore they are nected. in ties (of Spanish in this ‘m with legitimacy, power Accommodation, Audience Design, and Identities (AAI) n this section, I will show how the control of standard varieties and different registers, in general, is important when addressing lence. The following theories provide for a better understanding of how the political28 A, Reger Rodrigues social differences, orif preferred, how these social differences are reflected in language through discourse. Schilling-Estes (2004) argues that “not only are speakers not bound to elements of the external situation as they shape their speech, but also they use their speech to help shape and reshape the external situation” (2004, p. 378). ‘The idea of Accommodation Theory (Giles & Powesland, 1997), Audience Design (Bell 1997), and identities (Fairclougl 2003; Mendoza-Denton, 2004) are useful notions to obi better overview of discourses, hat is going on in politic: Accommodation Theory (Giles & Powesland, 1997) The theory of accommodation is based on the psychological social research on yattraction: “An individual can in- duce another to evalwate him more favorably by reducing dis- imilarities between them" Giles & Powesland, 1997, p. 283). This theory claims that speakers seek social approval. Even if it implies certain costs for the speaker, such as identity-change and expended effort, speakers are aware of potential rewards. Lwill show how Spanish-speaking politicians will accor their speech to the audience in an attempt to obt support, and political capital (Bordieu, 2001). Audience Design (Bell, 1997) Bell proposed first in 1984 that style shift occurs primarily for se to the speaker's audience rather than to the amount of attention or other factors. That is, shifting be done on purpose to suit the audience. Th with mass communicators such as politicians si considerable pressure to win the approval of their audie: is a social Feature ori meaning. . Style ted to people; it carries a particular social Style and Identities (Fairclough, 2003; Mendoza-Denton, 2004; Blommaert, 2005) To sh ts is also a strategy to represent identity. By accommo- Political Diseowse and Sis Socolinguistic Variables 220 the audience identity. As Mendoza-Denton (2004) points out: Constant transformation is an essential feature of the political structures and social circumstances that bring identities into ex: istence” (2004, p. 491). One of the most efficient resources for speakers to express identification with the au to shift style. Fairclough (2003) discusses how theoretical complexities of identities can be more coneretely analyzed through style shifting, For Blommaert (2005) shifting in stylistic stances is one of the empirical clues for identity expressions. (2005, p. 209) The Political Speech in Spanish: Stylistic Variation and AAT Politicians are aware of the above-mentioned correlations and value communicative competence (Hymes, 1967), thats, to know the stylistic repertoire and its appropriate contexts of use. Shift- ing styles to accommodate the audience is crucial and of concern adr su parte ando." (Castro, te also wanted oF was cul , He forgot what a dilfcult 5 The previous excerpt is a clear example of how Castro is aware of the relation between styles and an his comrade Nufiez expects him to be commun Petent and to have a style/register repertoire (Hall wide enough (o properly address this select and intellectuals. Castro is aware of the nee: Discourse prow