speech analysis

Speech is the vocalized form of human communication. It is based upon the syntactic combination of lexical and names that are drawn from very large vocabularies. Each spoken word is created out of the phonetic combination of a limited set of vowel and consonant speech sound units. These vocabularies, the syntax which structures them and their set of speech sound units differ, creating the existence of many thousands of different types of mutually unintelligible human languages. Most human speakers are able to communicate in two or more of them, hence being polyglots. The vocal abilities that enable humans to produce speech also provide humans with the ability to sing.
Martin Luther King Jr was one of America’s most influential civil rights activists. His passionate, but non violent protests, helped to raise awareness of racial inequalities in America, leading to significant political change. Martin Luther King was also an eloquent orator who captured the imagination and hearts of people, both black and white. He was one of the key figures of African Americans Civil Rights Movement. He brought the movement to its climax during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. He stood on the steps of Lincoln Memorial and shared his dream with approximately 250,000 people. Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. He was born to a white American mother and a black Kenyan father. He lived with his mother and stepfather in Indonesia for a period of time. Obama began his presidential campaign in 2008 with the slogans ‘Change we can believe in’ and the chant ‘Yes We Can’. America had overcome the limits of racial intolerance on 4th November 2008 as their first African American president has been elected. It was a significant moment of history because it also symbolise the realisation of King’s dream.
At the very beginning of the speech, king plays homage to the man whose memorial he was delivering the speech at, the man who gave African Americans their very first steps towards freedom in the Emancipation Proclamation by using ‘five score years ago’ as the reference to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. He describes the emancipation of the Blacks using metaphor of ‘…a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity’, reminding all those present of their history and ancestry. King proceeded to lay out the facts and paint the real picture of how the Negros were still ‘sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.’ The use of words ‘manacles’ and ‘chains’ provide a stark description of how freedom had still not been truly realised. At the beginning, Obama did not forget greeting the audience by saying "Hello Chicago". First, he opens his speech with introduction "If there is anyone out there…..until…at this defining moment change has come to America". The speech is an example of rhetorical works. One of the most notable characteristics of Obama’s style was the principle of repetition. All through, his speech depended on repetition and we can notice the repetition on the sentence "it is the answer" fourth times at every beginning paragraph in his introduction. In this part, he tries to get attention getter from the audience. In addition, at the first paragraph on his speech he uses the repetition too, that is "who still doubts… who still wonders…. who still questions". The words 'who still' in his speech shows it across time that is the past with 'our founders', the general present 'our time' and immediate present 'tonight’.

King showed ideology of living in America where all men are treated equally. At the peak of his speech, he tells the people of America about his dream, where there is no racial or class discrimination and there is justice and equality for all. He used anaphora in his speech by repeating ‘I have a dream…’statements. He stated ‘I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed…I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.’ This not only informs the audience of his dream, it also makes it their dream as well. Further, King made heavy use of listing. In one passage, he stated ‘Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana…’, which he mixed with a sort of anaphora. Obama outlines his ideology very clearly, which is the rebuilding of America by the United People of America. He began by drawing a clear picture of the issues and struggles that an American was facing, preferring better honesty towards his listeners rather than covering his words with honey. Different from the lyrical flow of Martin Luther King, Obama presents America with a sobering reality of how change was needed. He urged Americans to unite to overcome old hatreds and grievances as the world grows smaller. He also offered peace and help to other countries willing to accept America’s warm handshake, using metaphor ‘we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.’
King discusses the brutality that the Negro has experienced and the basic mobility of the Negro who is unable to find jobs and stay in hostels. Towards the absolute close of the speech, King launches into a long discussion of a possible and decent future, using images of children playing together. In these passages, king uses biblical images: ‘That one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’Towards the ends of his speech, he mentions ‘For as much government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.’ This line conveys the message that Obama was not the agent of change, but only a leader to the real agent of change-the American people. In the nutshell, Obama hopes that through the impact of his words, the audience would believe in themselves and deliver the gift of freedom to the future of America.