A SPEECH ACT ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTERS’ MAIDEN SPEECHES

Abstract

This study systematically examines transcribed maiden speeches of Pakistani Prime Ministers Imran Khan and Shahbaz Sharif to identify and quantify the use of speech acts through the framework of Speech Act Theory (Austin, 1962; Searle, 1969), applied within a political discourse context. People, particularly politicians, (Ashraf et al., 2022) express themselves using utterances composed of words and grammatical structures, which perform specific actions through speech. This study adopts a qualitative approach, supported by quantifying occurrences of speech acts to strengthen the qualitative findings. The findings reveal that both leaders employed commissive speech acts extensively, with Imran Khan making more promises compared to Shahbaz Sharif. Khan's speech featured a higher proportion of representative and directive acts, emphasizing policy goals and accountability, while Sharif's speech contained a greater use of expressive acts, showcasing empathy and emotional appeal. The research underscores the pragmatic implications of political speeches, as political leaders strategically use language to shape public opinion and drive social and political change. The findings contribute to existing literature on political discourse analysis by examining the specific context of Pakistani Prime Ministers' maiden speeches and emphasising promises as a rhetorical tool for building trust and maintaining a positive image.