Epistemic Modality through the Use of Adjectives in George W. Bush in Selected Speeches: Urging Countries around the World to Join the War in Iraq

Abstract

This study provides a detailed analysis of George W. Bush's speeches during the Iraq War, with a focus on his use of epistemic modal adjectives to influence the international community's support for the war. The study draws on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the epistemic modality in six of Bush's speeches, including The State of the Union Speeches and The War Speeches. By utilizing Biber et al.'s (1999, p.5-6) categories of epistemic modality, the study categorizes the adjectives into "Certainty" and "Likelihood" and examines their underlying functions in persuading the public about the Iraq War. The findings highlight that the adjectives served five distinct functions, namely "assertion," "assumption," "conviction," "hedging," and "likelihood/possibility," which were strategically employed by Bush to promote his policy and agenda towards the Iraqi government. The study emphasizes the crucial role of epistemic modality in political speeches and its potential impact on shaping public opinion.