THE USE OF PERSON DEIXIS AS A DISCOURSE STRATEGY IN DONALD TRUMP'S SELECTED POLITICAL SPEECHES

Abstract

This study critically examines the use of person deixis as a discourse
strategy in Donald Trump’s selected political speeches: his Inaugural
Address on January 20, 2017, and his State of the Union Address on
February 4, 2020. Guided by Levinson’s (1983) Pragmatic Theory of
Deixis, this study set out to identify the person deixis and their
referents in Donald Trump’s selected political speeches; discuss how
these person deixis function as a discourse strategy in selected political
speeches and examine how Donald Trump used these personal
pronouns: “I,” “you,” “we," and "they” and their variants to
strategically construct group identities, assign roles, convey ideology,
and influence audience perception, create inclusion (we/us) and
exclusion (they/them). As a linguistic tool, Deixis reveals the
interpersonal functions of language by indicating participants'
positions relative to the speaker. Using a qualitative, discourseanalytical method, this study finds that Trump’s use of deictic
pronouns plays a significant rhetorical role in shaping in-group (self)
and out-group (other) poles. “We” is used both inclusively to promote
unity and institutionally to highlight shared governance; “they" serve
to mark opposition and distance; "you” engages and empowers the
audience; and “I” asserts authority and personal responsibility,
creating a good picture of the politician. These patterns reveal how
Trump constructs solidarity, assigns blame, and emphasises
leadership through linguistic choices. Ultimately, the study concludes
that personal pronouns in political discourse are not merely
referential but are potent tools for persuasion, positioning, and
ideological framing.