Speaking Different Languages or Reading from the Same Script? Work Usage of Democratic and Republican Politicans
Posted: 29 Jul 2014
Date Written: July 28, 2014
Abstract
Words are believed to be indicators of the values that are important to politicians and an impressive amount of empirical research has analyzed variations in language use. While it is generally accepted that there are value differences between Democrats and Republicans, the extent to which these differences are apparent in word usage is largely unknown. In this article, we examine elite rhetoric through the lens of four value-centered theoretical frameworks (Lakoff’s Parenting Model, Moral Foundations Theory, Schwartz’s Values Theory, and Motivated Social Cognition Theory). Contrary to the expectations posited by these four theories, we find little reliable evidence of language differences between Democratic and Republican politicians. Our findings suggest that, at least when it comes to elite rhetoric, widely accepted theoretical claims about the nature of political language and political differences are not consistently supported by empirical analysis.
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