Functional analysis of "anticipatory it lexical bundles" in political speeches

Abstract EN

This paper investigates a particular structural group of frequent word combinations referred to as ‘anticipatory it lexical bundles’.

Lexical bundles are words formed that often co- occur in longer sequences.

They are not idiomatic or structurally complete, but the sequences are building blocks in discourse and are so common and recurrent that the readers and listeners should pay much attention to them.

The paper aims at showing and exploring structures and functions of the 'anticipatory it lexical bundles' presented in political speeches.

It adopts Hewings and Hewings's categorization of interpersonal functions of 'anticipatory it lexical bundles'.

Furthermore, the present investigation scrutinizes the interpersonal functions of 'anticipatory it lexical bundles' in the discourse of political speeches delivered by the British politician 'Margaret Thatcher'.The structural and functional types of 'anticipatory it lexical bundles' found in the speeches under analysis are described and compared.

The main finding of this paper indicates that there are two main interpersonal functions of lexical bundles that dominate in this respect: attitude markers and emphatics.