Mitigation in British Parliamentary Discourse

https://doi.org/10.26907/2658-3321.2024.7.2.169-179

Abstract

Political communication is a complex process that involves various strategies and methods of influencing the target audience. This article highlights the study of communicative approaches in political discourse, emphasising the importance of mitigation and positive image building in achieving political goals. The article examines the means of mitigation employed by political actors to maintain an amicable atmosphere. Particular attention is paid to lexical and grammatical techniques aimed at softening statements containing threats or criticism.

The study demonstrates that the use of passive voice, depersonalisation, modal adverbs and other strategies help politicians to achieve mutual understanding and agreement. It also examines the use of indirect requests, interrogative sentences, permissive questions and softened speech acts in parliamentary discourse. The study is important for understanding the mechanisms of polite communication and interaction in the political sphere, especially in the formal contexts of parliamentary debates. Analysing different mitigation strategies reveals ways of maintaining respectful relations between political actors and adhering to protocol in parliament. Generalised conclusions are drawn from the study of a variety of communicative techniques and their impact on the effectiveness of political debate and decision-making processes. The study of the phenomenon of mitigation in political discourse can contribute to more harmonious and productive communication between political actors and improve the quality of political processes.