Rhetorical analysis of Pope Francisco’s speeches in Paraguay, year 2015

Abstract

The research aimed to analyze the rhetorical aspects of Pope Francis' speeches, based on linguistic aspects of eight speeches, in different contexts with different audiences, during his visit to Paraguay in July of 2015. In the light of Aristotle's ideas, the theoretical proposals of Austin, Van Dijk, and Searle, Habermas, and Eco´s ideas analyzes were performed.

The methodological framework was constructed with simple materials and methods, based on research with a qualitative approach at the descriptive level and an inductive logic method. It turned out to be appropriate to present the results of the interpretation, also detailed findings in a particular form of each speech and then in a general form. It has been revealed that the argumentation varies according to the audience, making use of arguments of exemplification, authority, causality, and consequence. Recurrent rhetorical figures in the Pope's speeches have been identified in each speech the rhetorical figures present and compared the recurrence between the speeches analyzed, verifying the complexity According to the audience. Rhetorical questions, asyndeton, and comparisons were recurrent. The most commonly used speech acts were assertive, expressive, and directive. The ideological character was analyzed based on what he approves and rejects, it was related to literary works of Borges, Dostoyevsky, and Hopkins. This study provides a methodology and a scheme of rhetorical analysis at different levels.