1schaffner_christina_editor_analysing_political_speeches
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the young state of Israel and the old history of the Jewish people, that there is continuity between them. (Note that invoking inferences presupposes an interpretative normality.) In (4), this continuity is reinforced. The deictic here is not locationally restricted to the Knesset's room, but refers to Israel. Queen Beatrix varies her formulation in order to refer to Israel in (5) as these biblical lands. 25 At the same time, she speaks about Israel from her own point of view. Travelling,although the present participle does not mention explicitly its actor, suggests the perspective of being a visitor, although this perspective is not put into focus. In (6), Queen Beatrix uses three names from the Israeli map (clearly chosen for their alliteration) in order to symbolise once more the bridge between long and rich past and today.At the same time, the Queen chooses the formulation for everyone,thus including maybe even more people than those represented in Figure 1.
Thus, the Queen has emphasised the historical dimension of Israel, at the same time suggesting that the state of Israel, and the Jewish people in general, are the same. Furthermore, she has moved seamlessly from the presence in the Knesset itself (the horizontal box in Figure 1) to what the Knesset represents. Her own point of view, and what she herself represents, are not yet put into focus.
In Table 3 I present an analysis of the whole address. This table shows the formulations as used by the Queen, and relates them to what they represent. Hence, only those formulations are selected from the address which are to be related to either the Queen, the Knesset, and what they stand forthe Netherlands, Israel, or the Jews in general. The formulations are divided into two categories, according to whether or not they contain deictic elements, notably personal pronouns (see Wortham, 1996).
The following symbols are used: + indicates that the formulation as used by the Queen makes implicit or explicit reference to the category of that column; ® indicates that the formulation does not make reference to that category as such, but takes it as a referential point of departure; for example, reference to the European Union is made 'through' the Netherlands; ? indicates that the categorising is uncertain, although plausible.
On the basis of Table 3, we may note the following points of interest, and reach the following conclusions:
(1) It is quite clear that being representative is at the heart of Queen Beatrix' address. Only in Paragraph 13, are the majority of references in columns Be and Kn:the ratified present parties. In the other 12 paragraphs, there are many references to these two columns, but either alternating with references to the columns II and Nl,or referring to those at the same time. At times it is remarkable how easily, and almost imperceptibly, the formulations oscillate between the various (possible) referents. Consider the cases in which the Queen uses first person plural pronouns (we or our).The first instance is in Paragraph 1: 'takes us back to a distant past'. Here, the pronoun refers to the ratified present parties, including them both. The next use, in Paragraph 3, excludes the Knesset, but includes the vertical box from Figure 1, representing the
Netherlands. A similar instance is the closing of the address. Here, the Queen twice uses the first person plural in two different senses: 'We [my husband and I] believe . . . relationship between our [gloss:
Page 16
Table 3 Formulations relating to footing in Beatrix' address |
|
||
PDeictics/pronouns/addressees |
Non-deictic |
BeKn Il Nl |
|
descriptions |
|||
|
|
1 Mr Speaker,
Members of the Knesset name of your parliament takes us back to a distant past three thousand years ago your forefathers
here in many places and in many forms Travelling through these biblical lands even today
2
our ancestors
more than four centuries ago
Our forefathers
3the early history of our country
the citizens of our young republic
sculptors of our Golden Age
4
in our country
economic and cultural flowering our country experienced at that stage of her history
adr |
|
|
|
adr |
|
|
|
+ |
|
|
|
+ + |
+?+? |
||
+ + |
|
|
|
+ |
|
|
|
Israel |
I |
|
|
the Jewish people |
J |
|
|
+ |
I/J |
|
|
+? |
I/J |
|
|
+ + |
|
|
|
for everyone memories |
|
|
|
of that long and rich + + |
+ + |
||
past |
|
|
|
These places and the |
I/J |
|
|
many memories |
|
||
|
|
||
the Jewish people |
J |
|
|
the Dutch |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ + |
|
|
|
the establishing of the |
|
+ |
|
Dutch state |
|
||
|
|
||
the history of the |
J |
|
|
Jewish people |
|
||
|
|
||
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
the people of Israel |
J |
|
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
the Bible |
J |
|
|
Rembrandt |
|
+ |
|
Royal Palace in |
|
+ |
|
Amsterdam |
|
||
|
|
||
+ |
|
+ |
|
scenes from the Old |
J |
|
|
Testament |
|
||
|
|
||
everyone |
|
+ |
|
arrival in the |
J |
+ |
|
Netherlands |
|||
|
|
||
Jewish immigrants |
J |
+ |
|
a closer acquaintance |
J |
+ |
|
Jewish culture |
J |
|
|
Jewish religion |
J |
|
|
These immigrants |
J |
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
they |
J |
|
|
competitors but also |
J |
+ |
|
|
colleagues |
|
Jewish bankers |
J |
(table continued on next page)
Page 17
Table 3 (cont.)
PDeictics/pronouns/addressees
5
here,in this place
the horrors that the Nazi-occupation of 1940-45 brought our country's Jewish population
Most of our Dutch Jews 6 We know that many
of our fellow-countrymen During our visit to
Yad Vashem yesterday we saw their names
But we also know that they were the exceptional ones
we cannot joyfully
commemorate the restoration of our freedom
asking ourselves
7 where you, Mr Chairman, and we were present
Non-deictic descriptionsBeKn IlNl the Netherlands her
struggle for |
+ |
|
independence |
|
|
cosmopolitan city of |
+ |
|
Amsterdam |
||
|
||
Jewish community |
J + |
|
nickname Mokum |
J + |
|
Jewish libraries and |
J |
|
seminaries |
||
|
||
Jewish synagogue |
J +? |
|
many talented Jewish |
J |
|
students and scholars |
||
|
||
controversial Spinoza |
J |
|
Dutch Jews |
+ |
|
trades in which Jewish |
J |
|
workers figured |
||
|
||
Dutch diamond-workers |
+ |
|
union |
||
|
||
Jewish diamond cutters |
|
|
trade union movement in |
+ |
|
the Netherlands |
||
|
||
the most difficult years of |
|
|
the twentieth century . . . |
J |
|
disaster |
|
|
Mokum |
J + |
|
+ |
|
|
+ |
J + |
|
+ |
J + |
|
+ |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
|
+ |
|
|
+ + |
|
|
+ |
+ |
|
the people of the |
+ |
|
Netherlands |
||
|
||
the destruction of their |
J |
|
Jewish fellow-citizens |
||
|
||
+ |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
|
celebrations at |
J |
|
Auschwitz |
||
|
+ adr
those events |
J |
incitement to us all |
+ + |
++ |
|
duty, not only for |
|
|
governments but also for +?+? ++ |
|
bond that developed between our two |
every individual |
|
|
|
|
8 countries after the war |
+ + |
I + |
(table continued on next page)
Page 18
Table 3 (cont.) |
|
|
|
|
P Deictics/pronouns/addresseesNon-deictic descriptions |
BeKn Il Nl |
|||
|
founding of the state of Israel |
|
I |
|
|
in the Netherlands |
|
|
+ |
|
this state gave the Jewish people |
|
I |
|
|
all the Jews in the world |
|
I/J |
|
|
this new country |
|
I |
|
|
Thousands of Dutchmen |
|
J? + |
|
|
Others |
|
|
+ |
|
the existence of the young state |
|
I |
|
|
the people and the government |
+ |
|
+ |
|
of the Netherlands |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Israel |
|
I |
|
|
feeling of solidarity |
|
I |
+ |
|
For many Dutch people |
|
|
+ |
|
a special relationship exists |
+ + |
I |
+ |
|
between our countries |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
The history of the state of Israel |
|
I |
|
|
immigrants have streamed in |
|
I |
|
|
here |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other countries |
I® |
|
|
|
admiration how your country |
+ |
I |
|
|
has taken in |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
This has enriched your |
+ |
I |
|
|
country |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
respect for others among your |
+ |
I |
|
|
people |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
The confusion . . . you have |
+ |
I |
|
9 |
averted by . . . |
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
distinctive feature of Israel |
|
I |
|
|
In many countries there is . . . |
|
|
|
|
with which Israel seeks |
|
I |
® |
|
solutions |
|
|
|
|
Among people interested in |
|
I |
|
|
Israel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now that Israel has more young |
|
|
|
|
people . . . for the older |
|
|
|
|
generation to pass on . . . which |
|
I |
|
|
then animated everyone to a new |
|
|
|
|
generation |
|
|
|
|
Mr Speaker |
adr |
|
|
|
wars have torn the Middle East |
|
I® |
|
|
your country was even at |
+ |
I |
|
|
stake |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
taken a heavy toll |
|
I |
|
|
people have been moved |
|
|
|
10 |
by the suffering of the Israeli |
|
I |
® |
|
and the Palestinian |
|
||
|
|
® |
|
|
|
population |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
at present signs that point |
|
? |
|
|
everyone who follows your |
|
|
|
|
efforts towards this goal |
+?+ |
I |
® |
remains poised |
|
the visit of. . . Anwar Sadat to |
|
11your land |
+ I |
(table continued on next page)
Page 19
Table 3 (cont.) |
|
|
|
P Deictics/pronouns/addresseesNon-deictic descriptions |
BeKn Il Nl |
||
The whole world remembers |
|
|
® |
pictures . . . here in the |
|
+ |
|
Knesset |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We hope that your other |
|
|
|
neighbour-countries will also |
+ |
+ |
I®+? |
join |
|
|
|
wish of your predecessors |
|
+ |
|
people who have opposed each |
|
|
I® |
other |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
reason why we should praise |
|
|
|
the |
+ +? +?+? |
||
courage |
|
|
|
This gives us hope . . . |
+ |
|
I +? |
is also possible here |
+ |
||
In three years your country |
|
+ |
I |
celebrates |
|
||
|
|
|
|
the crown of your |
|
+ |
I |
work if on your country's |
|
||
|
+ |
I |
|
birthday peace |
|
||
|
|
|
|
Members of the Knesset |
|
adr |
|
What has been achieved here |
|
|
I |
To many people in the world |
|
+ |
I |
your country |
|
||
|
|
|
|
concern for the safety of the |
|
|
I |
state and its citizens |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
demands on you |
|
+ |
|
12vigilance and on your thrift |
|
+ |
|
hindrances that have existed for |
|
|
I® |
so long |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cooperation between you and |
|
+ |
I |
your neighbours, and |
|
||
|
+ |
I®® |
|
also with the European Union |
|
||
For the entire region the |
|
|
I® |
words of the Psalmist |
|
|
J |
Your obligations are |
|
|
|
. . . to bear, your |
|
+ |
|
responsibilities |
|
+ |
|
among the greatest |
|
|
|
As members of the Knesset |
|
|
|
you |
|
+ |
|
embody democracy |
|
|
|
to which Israel remains true |
|
|
I |
This chamber calls to mind |
|
+ |
|
that |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the only |
|
+ |
I |
13solutions for your country |
|
||
|
|
|
|
This realization makes our |
+ |
|
|
presence |
|
|
|
in your midst |
|
+ |
|
today a special experience |
+ |
+ |
|
my husband and I thank you |
+ |
|
We believe that |
|
|
this solemn reception in the |
|
|
Knesset is renewed evidence |
+ + |
+? |
of |
||
the special relationship |
|
|
between |
|
|
(table continued on next page)