Style of language

Michelle Obama uses a mix of formal and informal elements in her “Dear Class of 2020” graduation speech. 

We can see several examples of this mix of styles in lines 71-94, where Obama introduces her life lessons about the importance of making one’s voice heard and about channeling anger towards a positive purpose. For example, the sentence “They built coalitions with folks like them and different from them” (ll. 89-90) contains both the formal term “coalitions” and the informal term “folks”. By mixing formal and informal elements in this way, Obama tries to come across as both knowledgeable and approachable.

Obama’s choice of words also engages the audience and helps them focus on the current situa...