Prof. Bruno Pierri
Istituzioni politiche anglo-americane e
analisi dei linguaggi specifici
State of the Union Address:
A Philological Analysis
March 19th, 2009
State of the Union Address
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B)
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Annual message President gives in
before joint session of Congress and held
in House of Rep. in Jan-Feb:
Outline condition of the nation
Outline legislative proposals for following
year
President not permitted to enter House
Chamber without formal "invitation“ of
Congress
Historical Roots
(Article II, Section 3, US Constitution): “He shall
from time to time give to Congress information of
the State of the Union and recommend to their
Consideration such measures as he shall judge
necessary and expedient”
 Traditionally message has taken form of annual
speech
 Modelled on UK monarch's Speech from the
Throne during State Opening of Parliament:
A) Crown opens Parliament through State Opening –
beginning of Parliamentary Year
B) Crown informs Parliament of Govt plans for new
legislation in speech delivered in House of Lords
C) Govt draws up content
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Speech/Written Text
1801: T. Jefferson regarded speech too
monarchical and chose to write a text and
have it read by a clerck
 1913: W. Wilson re-established speech
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The Designated Survivor
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Member of Cabinet who stays at a physically distant,
secure, and undisclosed location when President
delivers address (Govt members present)
Continuity of Govt in line with presidential succession in
the remote possibility of catastrophic event wiping out
Govt
Practice originated during Cold War
Order of Presidential Succession:
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defence……..
Obama’s Speech
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B)
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Obama delivered speech to joint session of
Congress on February 24, 2009
Not an official State of the Union Address
Points of discussion:
$787 billion American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009
Troubled Assets Relief Program
Economy
Future of the country
Designated Survivor: Attorney General Eric
Holder
Glossary
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Concern = preoccupazione
To be affected = essere interessati,
coinvolti
Weight = peso, dimensione
Reach = portata
Overnight = dalla sera alla mattina
Housing market = mercato immobiliare
Stock market = mercato azionistico
To sink-sank-sunk = affondare
sources of energy = fonti energetiche
health care = assistenza sanitaria
To eat up = finire di mangiare, erodere
savings = risparmi
short-term gains = guadagni a breve
termine
To prize = apprezzare
Wealth = riccheza
Wealthy = ricco
To be gutted = essere sventrato, svuotato
healthy market = mercato sano, integro
Boldly and wisely = audacemente e
saggiamente
jumpstart = mettere in moto con cavi
(rimettere in moto)
To lend = dare in prestito
Mindful = consapevole
hardship = avversità
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economic growth = crescita economica
Mayor = sindaco
To be held accountable = essere ritenuto
responsabile
Proven = comprovato, collaudato
ferret out = scovare
Waste = spreco
Flow = flusso
Lifeblood = linfa vitale
Loan = prestito
Purchase = acquisto
housing crisis = crisi immobiliare
Bank-book = libretto bancario
household = famiglia
Bailout = vie d’uscita, To bail out = pagare
la cauzione/tirar fuori dai guai
Reckless = scondiderato
taxpayer = contribuente
To putter along = arrancare
To yield = dare la precedenza
Purpose = obbiettivo/finalità
To reward = ricompensare
Mortgage = mutuo
To hire = affittare/assumere
Upheaval = crisi
In the wake of = sulla scia di
Quotations to Debate
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“for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a
concern that rises above all others” = This is target: I want to tax the
rich in order for them to contribute to the nation’s effort
“You don’t need to hear another list of statistics to know that our
economy is in crisis, because you live it every day” = Crisis affects
whole society: Even the rich can see someone living in bad conditions.
Justification for previous statement
“our economy did not fall into decline overnight” = Many mistakes and
bad policies in the past. I’m not responsible for crisis, but I accept
challenge
“We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new
sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The
cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year,
yet we keep delaying reform “ = My policy real breakthrough. Former
Administration reckless, since they knew what problems were, but they
carried on along wrong path. Also a political message. New energy
sources in order to be less dependant on Middle East oil
“A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead
of an opportunity to invest in our future” = liberal statement, but not
socialist. Surplus must be invested, not donated to the poor
“Not because I believe in bigger government – I don’t” = Big Govt is
always disliked by Americans. Capitalism and federalism
Quotations to Debate
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“I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost
more jobs and caused more hardships” = Govt must spend
more, but the aim is always to revive US capitalism, based on
jobs, people, middle-class
“the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy” = banks to
be reformed, but Govt is not against banks, backbone of
capitalism. Again message of détente to business and upper
classes: I’m not against you, I’m just saying that we must be
united
“while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the
cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an
economy that sputters along for not months or years, but
perhaps a decade” = Public money necessary to restart US
capitalism. Better to spend more now than having weak
economy for 10 years. Public spending as investment
“In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation
to college and created the largest middle-class in history. […] In
each case, government didn’t supplant private enterprise; it
catalyzed private enterprise” = Purpose of economic
reformations and public spending is not socialist society, or
class-struggle. Purpose is to enlarge middle-class, according to
spirit of Constitution
Car Driver Language
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Obama often uses automobile language:
to jumpstart job creation
an economy that sputters along
yield to the politics of the moment
Every-day language average Americans
(car drivers) can easily understand
President means: I come from common
family background and I realise your
problems. I’m not distant from you