pragmatics

Högskolan Dalarna
English Linguistics
MAEL 3: PRAGMATICS
Presuppositions in President Sworn-In to Second Term by George Bush
Spring 2008
Do Thi Vinh Ha
790825T080

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………1
1.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………..1
1.2 Aim …………………………………………………………………………..1
1.3 Methodology and Data ……………………………………………………….2
2. Data analysis …………………………………………………………………..2
3. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………..9
4. References ……………………………………………………………………11
1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction
Pragmatic is very difficult for a nonnative speaker of English to understand. It is a
new field of language use which studies language use in context. Pragmatics is
divided into many parts such as: presupposition, politeness, implicature, etc Each
part carries its own difficult level. It requires the readers to have large knowledge
to be able to understand and use it. One of many aspects of language studies in
pragmatics is the notion of presuppositions which according to Thomas et al are
“background assumptions embedded within a sentence or phrase. He assumptions
are taken for granted to be true regardless of whether the whole sentence is true”
(2005:42). The presuppositions are divided into two fields: semantic
presuppositions and pragmatic presuppositions.
Presuppositions can be seen as one of the effective language tools for the
presenters to persuade the listeners. Politicians are the successful presenters in this
field. George W. Bush, the United States President is one of many politicians who

use presuppositions deliberately to obtain theirs goals.
1.2 Aim
The main purpose of the essay is to analyze the presuppositions which are used in
Mr. Gorge Bush in the 55
th
inaugural ceremony address announced on Thursday,
1
January 20, 2005. The essay wants to show the presuppositions use which makes
him economical in what he proclaims so that his audiences get his announcement
the most efficiently. The essay aims at finding out how presuppositions are
employed by Mr. Gorge Bush to show his friend with his audiences.
1.3. Methodology and Data
This essay will analyze the 55
th
inaugural ceremony address is announced by US
President George Bush on Thursday, January 20, 2005, which is collected through
the webpage
on Tuesday, May 20, 2008.
This essay is going to analyze two aspects of presuppositions: Semantic
presuppositions which mean A is presupposed by B if B can not have a truth value
unless A is true and pragmatic presuppositions which mean A is pragmatic
presupposition of a speaker B if B simply takes A for granted.
2. Data analysis
In the first sentence:
On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable
wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country.
2
With the first presupposition triggers “law” and “ceremony”, Mr. Bush
presupposes that there is law and a ceremony. The noun phrases” durable wisdom”
and “our Constitution” trigger presupposed information that there is durable

wisdom, that the United States has its own Constitution, and that the Constitution
has durable wisdom. These are semantic and uncounterfeit presuppositions that are
employed tactfully in the beginning of a speech by the president. He also
presupposes pragmatically that his audiences know what the ceremony that they
are attending; they know the time, place and purpose of this ceremony; and these
audiences are people who vote for him so they will support his ideals in this
ceremony.
I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which
we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed.
This utterance presupposes several things that (1) the honor exists, that (2)
there is consequential times and that (3) there is an oath. In this sentence there are
some existential pragmatic presuppositions such as: the audiences know that he has
been re-elected as the US President for the second term; they are gathering here, at
West Lawn on the West Front of the United State Capitol to listen to him. He
asserts that he will strong- minded to accomplish his task and promises that he will
3