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Speech Analysis: Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier

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Speech Analysis: Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier
The Essay
The speech ‘Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier’ by former Prime Minister Paul Keating has been chosen as the basis of this commentary. It was given on 11th of November 1993 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra as a commemoration in honour of all of the soldiers who have served for Australia in conflict situations. Paul Keating’s point of view is evidently reflected through his speech. He aims to bring about the development of Australia as a unified nation by the instilling patriotism among the citizens and to overcome such obstacles of loss and demise as a nation. As such, the audience is swayed to readily acquiesce with Keating’s opinions about building a united nation. Keating is successful in gaining such a reaction from his audience as a result of his effectual use of persuasive techniques. Devices such as inclusive language, synecdoche, and emotive language have been extensively employed in Paul Keating’s speech. This makes the speech worthy of analytic evaluation. Keating has utilized inclusive language to a great extent to develop a strong connection with his audience and make them feel part of the speech which would give them a better understanding about his speech. Additionally emotive language has been cleverly manipulated in the speech to provoke remembrance and sympathy towards the dead and stir patriotism among the spectators where they will feel united and as one nation. Lastly synecdoche has been applied by Keating in the speech to represent the Unknown Soldier as

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