Political Discourse Analysis on the Movie Black Hawk Down

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the political language is used in the movie Black Hawk Down. Political discourse analysis theory (PDA) is employed in this study, emphasizing on Paul Chilton’s strategies of language and Tuen A. Van Dijk's language characteristics of political language. The language displays the ideology of binary relations between the two major groups of actors, the American soldiers and the Somalis. The study has shown that political language is the main tool employed by the groups of people who have greater power to expose their idea of superiority and hegemony over the inferiors. These are evident among the leaders of the American troop, the American soldiers themselves and the followers of Aidid, the tyrant Somali leader whose conversations expose the idea of power and superiority through their conversations in the movie. The analysis has shown that political language is obviously used throughout the movie. The four strategies that have been employed most are syntax, rhetoric, coercion and presumption, respectively. These are practiced by the superior to force or control the inferior indicating the binary relationships and hegemony. The political language in this movie is used to segregate, to persuade, to influence, to urge in order to get what one wants, to enforce and to insult the others based on the presumption that they are incapable and inferior. All of these are clearly seen mostly from the American soldier’s perception and conversations.