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On stylistic features of Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R

11级语言三班 罗小玄（1140501360）

Abstract：Churchill was regarded as one of the greatest orators in the 20th century, and he was awarded the Nobel literature Prize for his profound attainments in speech. His Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R was a classic speaking, it is not only a successful political speech, but also has a very high literary value. This article is from the perspective of stylistics, applying text analysis to analyze his speech in syntax, pronunciation and semantics.

Key words: stylistics, syntax, pronunciation, semantics

1. Introduction: Speech is a kind of direct social practical activities with artistic, have spoken and written language at the same time, with the characteristics of the literary and the non-literary. The language of public speech more formal, its main purpose is to arouse the enthusiasm of the audience, get the support of audience, and use a variety of rhetorical devices in order to attract the audiences' attention. Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R was a classic speaking of Churchill. This article is from the perspective of stylistics, applying text analysis to analyze his speech in syntax, pronunciation and semantics

2. Stylistic Feature

(1) Pronunciation: the speech uses kinds of phonetic means to make it

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more lively and memorable, such as alliteration and assonance.

e.g. a. I see advancing upon all this in hideous onslaught the Nazi war machine, with its clanking, heel-clicking, dandified Prussian officers... b. I see also the dull..., the Hun soldiery plodding on like a swarm of crawling locusts. I see the German bombers..., still smarting from many a British whipping,... an easier and safer pray.

The whole speech was given a music rhythm by the proper use of these phonological configurations, which can evoke the audiences’ emotions and make them fell punchy and impressive.

(2) Syntax: For express his political stance and determination and call on all kinds of powers, Churchill using many types of sentences, which show the charm of his unique speech. Such as periodic sentence, balanced sentence, rhetorical question, and inverted sentence.

e.g. a. The past, with its crimes, its follies, and its tragedies, flashes way. b. I see the Russian soldiers standing on the threshold of their native

land, guarding on the threshold.. I see.., I see..

c. I have to make the declaration, but can you doubt what our policy will be ?

d. From this nothing will turn us-nothing.

(3) Semantic: The stylistic features of a semantic level more reflected in the use of various figures of speech (this speech using different figures of

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speech many times to illustrate problems and highlight his themes.) such as simile, metaphor, parallelism, and repetition.

e.g. a. I see also the dull.., the Hun soldiery plodding on like a swarm of

crawling locusts.

b. But all this fades away before the spectacle which is now unfolding.

The past, with its crimes, its follies, and its tragedies, flashes away. c. We will never parley, we will never negotiate with Hitler or any of

his gang.

d. We have but one aim and one single, irrevocable purpose.

3. Conclusion:

In the political speech discourse, syntax, pronunciation and semantics are important style characteristics for a successful speech. Only combine them perfectly, can reveal the speaker's authority, attract the attention of the audience, influences their views and actions. Churchill’s Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R has successfully persuade the audience to accept and support his political position by using different sentence transformation, acoustic sound effect, artful rhetoric to achieve the goals and effect of his speech.

Bibliography:

[1] 钱瑗，Stylistics: A Coursebook for Chinese EFL Students[M],外语教学与研究出版社

[2] 张汉熙，王立礼，高级英语[M]，外语教学与研究出版社