Language

Choice of words and style of writing

In her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Malala Yousafzai’s choice of words reflects a mix between an informal and a formal style. Although her tone is not casual, her speech is marked by many evocative words related to the oppression and inequality suffered by children all over the world, and by an emotional appeal to the audience to fight against these issues.

The informal style is visible when Yousafzai shares personal details: “my brothers still call me that annoying bossy sister” (p. 482, l. 19). It is also conveyed through her emotional tone: “And our beautiful dreams turned into nightmares.” (p. 482, l. 37).

However, there are also several instances when Yousafzai adopts a formal style in her speech. For example, she uses a formal style when she addresses the Nobel Committee (p. 481, ll. 3-4), or when she criticizes the Taliban using expressions such as ...