Some Remarks on the Topic: Language Manipulation as a Means of Influencing Human Memory

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of language on memory in political discourse. The relevance of this study stems from the fact that linguistic manipulation often goes unnoticed, making individuals susceptible to its influence. Examining this phenomenon may help raise society’s awareness of such mechanisms.

The study focuses on an analysis of speeches by two politicians – Andrzej Duda and Vladimir Putin – with particular attention to the linguistic means of influence embedded in their messages. The research reveals that the richness of these means, both at the lexical and prosodic levels, allows politicians to exert significant influence on memory and, consequently, on public opinion. These linguistic elements, such as fixed phrases and subtle expressions, often operate beneath the threshold of conscious awareness but have a profound psychological effect on listeners.

The analysis was conducted using Alexey Avdeev’s theory of linguistic means of influence and uncovered a wide array of techniques that affect human memory.

In conclusion, the study highlights that political speeches are invariably saturated with linguistic tools of influence. A particularly notable element in the analyzed speeches is sentence stress, which serves to emphasize key components of the politicians’ messages, enhancing their impact on the audience.