Identity in the discourse of Condoleezza Riceon Iraq after 2003

Abstract EN

The current study is concerned with examining the notion of identity in Condoleezza Rice's discourse by virtue of conceptual metaphor and quotations.

The data of analysis were chosen selectively from Rice's A Memoir of My Years in Washington : No Higher Honor.

The selection of data was centered on the metaphors and quotations that revolved around the social and political situation of Iraq after the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

To arrive at the objective of this study the following theoretical moves were advocated : 1.

Tajfel and Turner's (1979) Mental Processes of Identity Evaluation, 2.

Lakoff and Johnson's (1980, 2004) Conceptual Metaphor Theory which was taken on to examine how metaphors were used by Rice to create reconciliation between the different political leaders, and 3.

Recanati's (2004) Pragmatics of Quotation as a Language Game.

The study came up with the following conclusions : a.

as linguistic devices, metaphors and quotations popped up as exploratory because they were helpful to reveal the concept of identity in Rice's investigated discourse, b.

via conceptual metaphors and quotations, the identity of the Iraqi political class looked befogged and deformed, and c.

the socio-cultural differences between Arand Americans had their impact on shaping the notion of identity in the given discourse.