A Descriptive Study on Metaphoric Style in Political Communication

The purpose of this study, built on the method of descriptive assessment in the literatures, is to describe the metaphorical style that has become evident by the intense use of metaphors, a prominent element among rhetorical figures, especially in the form of political speech by political actors while being used in all communication channels throughout the political communication process; and to comprehend the reason behind its utilization and to understand its functions. By the review conducted in this context, it has been determined that the metaphorical style, emerged as an intuitive, implicit way of expression, formed by the carrying the different conceptual meanings based on time and place, has been employed in the production of messages in various channels in the process of political communication. It has been revealed that enhancing the language, empowering the expressions and filling a lexical gap beside escape of criticism, exalting or satirizing some concepts with religious, cultural, ideological motives are among the reasons for utilization of the metaphorical style. In addition, looking at the functions of metaphoric style in political communication; it has been found that they fulfill the functions of focusing, provoking imagination, exploring spiritual areas, mobilizing emotions, providing esthetic appeal for the communication, entertaining, conveying moral values, and stimulating the behaviors, and examples related to these are presented through political communication studies carried out in our country. The study is unique among similar studies in the literature in terms of its approach to issue of the style, brought sometimes on the agenda in the political communication process, in terms of rhetorical figures, apart from the perspective of conflict and consensus; and its focus on metaphor in the rhetorical figures