A Pragmatic and Discourse Analysis of the Hidden Meanings in “I Have a Dream”
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Abstract
This study investigates the use of hidden meanings in Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech "I Have a Dream" through the lens of pragmatic and discourse analysis.The study examines the selected excerpts from the speech to identify pragmatic strategies and discourse devices employed to convey implicit meanings. Findings reveal that figurative language such as metaphors and symbols constituted about 30% of the pragmatic devices used, speech acts accounted for 20%, deixis for 10%, and context-dependent meanings for another 10%. Discourse analysis showed repetition and parallelism at 15%, antithesis at 10%, intertextuality (especially religious references) at 5%, and a unifying narrative metaphor structuring the speech. These findings highlight the crucial role of multiple pragmatic and discourse strategies in shaping the emotional and persuasive impact of the speech within its historical and cultural context
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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