Lee Hsien Loong Rhetorical Analysis

I. Introduction

The moment most speakers take the stand, we often find ourselves lost in a blur of words, but yet we find ourselves nodding our heads in agreement to what is being said. As rhetorical theory shows, language and the choice of words are the main factors as to why this phenomenon occurs. Different speakers use different types of rhetoric to deliver their message and to convince the audience of their ‘point’ without the audience truly understanding it.

In the theory of rhetoric, logos, ethos and pathos are the three factors that make a speech convincing and ‘successful’. Logos refers to the part in the speech which appeals to the logical side of the audience. This is usually done through the way the speech is structured, and the

This essay will be an enriching contribution to the academic world for the reasons that Lee Hsien Loong’s speeches are not as widely analysed as his father’s, Lee Kwan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister or Singapore’s second Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong.

Specifically, this essay looks at thematic metaphors or metaphors revolving around a similar theme and the underlying emotions underneath it. Investigation on how the underlying emotions allow the audience to connect to the speaker emotionally, allowing the speaker to better and effectively engage his audience and convey his message. Contrary to classical theory of metaphors, linguists like Michael J. Reddy and George Lakoff has argued that the locus of metaphors is not language but thought. This is to say that metaphor is the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another. In this process, everyday abstract concepts like time, states, change, causation and purpose become metaphorical. Reddy highlighted that metaphor is a major and indispensable part of our ordinary, conventional way of conceptualizing the world, and that our everyday behaviour reflects our metaphorical understanding of experience. It is because it is related to our everyday experience that any audience can relate and understand the use of a conceptual metaphor

In that year, 2011, Lee still continues to follow the same metaphorical approach by describing the problem as “a tidal wave, a tsunami coming in our direction”. Using this metaphor helped however elevated the situation from a mere thunder storm that may flood them to a tsunami that will sweep them away. Lee’s use of this metaphor is highly appropriate as merely a few months ago; Japan was hit by a devastating tsunami and the events following after was closely followed by the World especially Singapore. Lee, by using this metaphor implies that such a disaster figuratively speaking may happen to Singapore if measures suggested were not followed. When the crisis subsided in 2012, it can be noted that Lee stopped this metaphorical approach as