A Linguistic Study of Persuasion in Egyptian Constitutional Campaigns (2012-2014)

This study explores the use of persuasive tools in the last two Egyptian constitutional campaigns used to persuade the audience to vote. This study shows how each constitutional campaign presents itself to the audience. Moreover, it investigates how verbal linguistic techniques are used to intentionally map voters’ minds by explaining the hidden ideologies beyond each campaign.
In order to achieve these aims, this study seeks to address the following questions:
1. How does each constitutional campaign present itself to voters?
2. How does each constitutional campaign manipulate voters’ minds?
3. How is religion used by Muslim Brotherhood in order to persuade people to vote for MB’s sake?
4. How is patriotism used by Pro-Military Council in order to persuade people to vote for Military Council’s sake?
The researcher chooses three speeches by MB and Salafia’s supporters since speeches have strong influence in those who heard or watch them especially when those speeches are said by religious men through some religious channels. In addition, three speeches are uttered by three representatives of various protagonists of Military council’s sake. The analysis of data contains Textual level which investigates how texts are analyzed and functioned by speakers. According to this level, topoi and persuasive strategies are applied.
In conclusion, this study finds the answer of the questions which illustrates how persuasion is a linguistically wide process which has many different purposes are hidden and many ways can be achieved through it. Through the use of applied tools, each party finds linguistically the best way for their audiences whether through religion, patriotism or stability to directly connect concepts together and persuade their audience of those connections. So, they can easily reach their minds and to intentionally change indirectly their thoughts and actions towards each party’s sake.