Context – Driven Antonyms in Political Discourse

Abstract

In the frame of this article an attempt is made to bridge pragmatics and context-driven antonyms. As a pragmaticapproach it focuses on the ways in which antonym relations are derived in contexts of use, particularly in politicaldiscourse. In the speeches of an orator an author gives birth to an opposition that functions as an antonymic pair only inthe given context dictated by the intention of the speaker. Word pairs that are not branded as antonyms at paradigmaticlevel work as antonyms only in that situation, having a persuasive mission. However, context-driven antonyms liveonly on the crossroad of vertical and horizontal relations. For revealing their emphatic function, contextual antonymsare studied in relation to opposition and are defined as subtypes of binary, private opposites.In speeches of political leaders contextual antonyms obtain quite a new calling; to justify his/ her positions, to gainconfidence, to touch the feelings of the audience and to make the speech much more argumental.