A Study On American Commencement Speeches From The Perspective Of Identification Theory

As a custom of American universities,the commencement speech has received much attention all over the world.The commencement speakers are outstanding people from various walks of life.They not only express their congratulations to the graduating class,but also share their insights into life with them,put forward valuable suggestions and propose requirements and expectations of graduates.The commencement speech is influential in its content and language.Many scholars have conducted analyses on commencement speeches in the field of linguistics from the perspectives of cognitive linguistics,functional linguistics and pragmatics.However,rare studies are done from theory of new rhetoric.This paper attempts to make a systematic study on commencement speeches from the perspective of Kenneth Burke's Identification Theory.This thesis mainly adopts qualitative analysis assisted with quantitative analysis.Eight of Harvard University's commencement speeches in recent years were chosen as the data.First,this paper analyzes the rhetorical situation of commencement speeches.Then the identification strategies employed in these speeches are analyzed from the rhetorical content and rhetorical form.In addition,it explores how these strategies are used to induce identification with the addressees and finally achieve the speakers' aims.This thesis also conducts a statistic study on the distribution frequency of identification strategies from rhetorical content and rhetorical form respectively.According to the study,the author finds that it is important and necessary for commencement speakers to employ identification strategies in the speeches because of the rhetorical situation of commencement speeches.In the aspect of rhetorical content,the speakers mainly adopt three identification strategies – identification via sympathy,identification via antithesis and identification via inaccuracy.In the aspect of rhetorical form,the commencement speakers mainly employ conventional form,repetitive form,progressive form and figurative form.These identification strategies make commencement speeches more persuasive and impressive.This study helps people to have a better understanding of Kenneth Burke's Identification Theory and contributes to expanding the scope of the application of this theory.Through the analysis of commencement speeches,this thesis can help people to know more about commencement speeches.At the same time,it will be meaningful in language teaching and acquisition,and in the improvement of public speaking skills.