Language
The language used by Donald Trump in his Republican nomination acceptance speech at the Republican Convention is generally simple and easy to understand by the general public. He is often repetitive and only rarely uses complex words like “egregious” (l. 21…
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Choice of words
Since the choice of words is related to American politics, there are numerous references to issues in the US or regarding foreign policy which are probably well-known by the American public and those concerned with American politics, but less well-known by those who are unfamiliar with these areas. Some examples are “trade deficit” (ll. 87), “lobbyist” (l. 195), “unemployment” (l. 332), etc.
Looking at the choice of words, you will notice that the speaker uses numerous words that have negative connotations, in connection …
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Sentence structure
In general, the sentence structure suggests a formal style—probably because the speech was prepared in advance. Most of the sentences are short and sharp, most likely with the purpose of maintaining the audience’s attention and conveying a firm tone: “I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon – and I mean very soon – come to an …
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Tone
The tone of the speaker is firm and determined in general, and this helps him come across as reliable: “Every day I wake up determined to deliver for the people I have met all across this nation that have been neglected, ignored, and abandoned.” (ll. 172-174)
Sometime the tone becomes sad or accusatory, when the speaker talks about American issues or his political opponents: “She supported the job killing trade deal with South Korea. She has supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP will not…
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Propaganda
You should remember that the speech is a political one during an electoral campaign, so some propaganda was to be expected.
The speaker presents himself as the only one able to solve Americans’ problems and tries to demote his political opponent and the Obama administration. (Hillary Clinton was also part of the Obama adm…
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Personal stories
In the speech, Trump inserts the story of a family whose daughter was killed by an immigrant: “One such border-crosser was released and made his way to Nebraska. There, he ended the life of an innocent young girl named Sarah Root.” (ll. 67-68). Such storie…
