Linguistic Deviations In President Joe Biden’s Inaugural Speech: A Descriptive Study Based On Leech’s Model (1969) Of Linguistic Deviations

Résumé: This discourse analytical study investigated the presence of linguistic deviations and figures of speech in President Joe Biden’s Inaugural Speech delivered on January 20, 2021, in the United States Capitol, Washington D.C. The fundamental objectives of this study are fourfold. The first is to highlight the different linguistic deviations used in the speech. The second objective is to the track down other existing figures of speech used by President Biden. Finally, we examine the applicability of the selected theoretical framework, which is mainly intended to poetry, on political discourse. To guide us through the research process, Leech’s (1969) Model of Linguistic Deviations is utilised. To analyse the official transcript of the inauguration speech, a qualitative analysis is adopted. The obtained results reveal that President Joe Biden made use of four linguistic deviations that are semantic deviation, grammatical deviation, phonological deviation and deviation of register. The results also demonstrate the absence of four linguistic deviations that are lexical deviation, dialectal deviation, graphological deviation and deviation of historical period. These irregularities seem to be only accepted and recurrent in poetry. Correspondingly, the linguistic analysis established that Leech’s (1969) model of Linguistic Deviations is partially applicable to Biden’s inaugural address. In addition, five different figures of speech are identified that are alliteration, allusion, anaphora, personification and rhetorical question. These irregularities renders the speech successfully appealing and lavishly understandable and straightforward

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