A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF BARACK OBAMA’S REMARKS IN HANOI, 2016

Abstract

ABSTRACT

On May 2016, the 44th President of America Mr. Barack Obama paid an official visit to Vietnam as part of his Asian farewell tour. The time of his arrival marks the convergence of many significant happenings: The U.S finally lifted the arms embargo which had long been imposed on Vietnam; the two countries continued to reinforce their Comprehensive Partnership while addressing the areas involving disharmony; the rising influence of China in the region called for Obama administration’s acceleration of the “Pivot to Asia” strategy. In the midst of the eventful occasion, Obama delivered remarks to the people of Vietnam on May 24 at My Dinh National Convention Center in Hanoi. The speech has garnered nationwide accolade and “touched the heart” of Vietnamese people, as acclaimed all over the domestic media. It is against this backdrop that the study seeks to investigate Obama’s speech in the light of Critical Discourse Analysis, using Norman Fairclough’s model (1989). The objectives are identifying embedded ideologies and the way they are conveyed. The study reveals that various linguistic devices as well as contextual assumptions were employed to demonstrate America’s aspiration to corroborate the bilateral relationship, while at the same time showcase its leadership position and dominance over Vietnam. Through the study, readers can gain better understanding of CDA and the significance of language in serving the ideology and power.