CONSTRUCTING COURAGE THROUGH WORDS: A PRAGMATIC STUDY OF PERSUASIVE FORCE IN WINSTON CHURCHILL’S WAR SPEECHES

Abstract

Winston Churchill’s wartime speeches are recognised for their extraordinary rhetorical power and persuasive influence on the British public, combining pragmatic strategies and stylistic devices to rally morale and communicate resilience in times of national crisis. The primary objective of this study is to analyse Churchill’s use of speech acts and rhetorical strategies across five key wartime speeches, while a secondary objective is to compare the linguistic and pragmatic patterns that contributed to the effectiveness of his oratory. This research employs a qualitative, comparative analysis of the selected speeches, examining the pragmatic functions of speech acts, directives, commissive, expressive, and declarative, alongside stylistic features such as repetition, metaphor, and moral appeals, with data analysed to identify patterns and variations in Churchill’s rhetorical strategies across different contexts and audiences. The analysis shows that Churchill consistently employed repetition and parallelism to reinforce key messages and build emotional intensity, with moral and patriotic appeals central in motivating both Parliament and the public. His speeches varied in structure and tone depending on the audience, with parliamentary addresses emphasising factual explanation and public speeches emphasising encouragement and inspiration, while metaphors and imagery were strategically used to frame events as battles for civilisation, enhancing the persuasive impact of his rhetoric. Overall, Churchill’s speeches demonstrate a sophisticated integration of pragmatics and stylistics to inspire, unify, and sustain a nation under threat, and his rhetorical mastery continues to serve as a benchmark for effective political communication.