SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW-CONTEXT CULTURE IN THE FIRST DEBATE BY THE US PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BARACK OBAMA AND MITT ROMNEY=

Abstract

ABSTRACT ________________________________________

The thesis analyzed the first debate between the two typical representatives of the United States in terms of low-context culture. The major aim of this thesis was to explore how characteristics of low-context culture expressed through the way two US presidential candidates debated. Case study and document analysis were chosen as the main approach way and method of this study. Collected documents were analyzed and finally conclusion was drawn out from the analyzed data. As a result of completing the above procedure, the researcher has found out some characteristics of low-context culture expressed clearly through the first debate by the US presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. They are relying on facts and statistics, using direct style in speaking, and employing linear logic. Obama often gave more details but less clear structure than Romney did. Besides, characteristics of low-context culture also affected to language strategies of the two presidential candidates including lexical strategies and grammatical strategies. Both candidates used simple words and spoken words with literal meaning. However, Mitt Romney communicated more explicitly because he used shorter and simple sentences so that the audiences could easily get his points. This study helps us understand more about the communicative ways of the two presidential candidates in particular and the people in the United States, a low-context culture in general.