Raimundo

Name: Maria Barroso Raimundo

Student number: s1639293
Name of case study: No Slowdown in Tempo
Group Number: 03
Name of tutor: Helen Steele
Word Count: 2144
Date: April 27th 2016

No Slowdown In Tempo: The War Cry

Of Russia Resonating Through History
Emotive Language As A Pivotal Marker Of Speeches In History

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Markingagenerationthroughtheimplementationofsevereagriculturalmeasures
andstrictpoliticalrepressionwasthe30yearreignofJosephStalin;aruleinwhich
politicaladdressestotheRussiannationwereafrequentcourseofactiontoraisemorale.
Commontomostoftheseaddresses,istheutilizationofanemotivetonesandstyles,
which furtherpersuade masses ofthe many times unrealisticandunfairgoals ofthe
sovereign(Verderber304330).SuchisthecaseofStalins NoSlowDownInTempo
speech, in which the Soviet leader adopts an exalted tone, marked by the usage of
extreme metaphor and hyperbole. This 1931 speech was designed to address the
CommunistPartyinregards tothenecessityoffosteringandupholdingafastpaced
industrialrevolution,andhasbeenrememberasaniconicspeechinhistory,settingthe
stageforthefamousWeShallFightThemontheBeachesspeechbyWinstonChurchill
inJune1940,aswellasAdolfHitlersspeechProclamationToTheGermanNationon
the1stofFebruary1933.ThefollowingdissertationexploresandanalyzestheJosephs
StalinsaddresstotheRussiannation,comparingitwithChurchillsandHitlers,asto
argue how usage of expressive and emotive language is extremely successful in its
conveyanceofmeaningandintent.
TakingplaceonFebruary5th,1931,wasJosephStalinsNoSlowDowninTempo
addresstotheFirstAllUnionConferenceofLeadingPersonnelofSocialistIndustry,in
whichthespeechsmovingcharacterallowsfortheeffectivepersuasionofmassesto
endurethroughthebrutal5yearPlans(McKay, Wiesner-Hanks, Crowston, Buckler, Hill,
and Perry89197).Itsefficacyreliesontheoratorswordchoiceandusageofimagery
such as metaphors, description and hyperbole as a means to connect and be better

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understoodbytheaudience,aswellastoinstillconfidencethroughwords.Essentialto
theanalysis ofthetextisthecontextinwhichitwas set,aswelltounderstandthe
speakers background. Curiously, unlike Lenin or even communist adversary, Leon
Trotsky,JosephStalinneverdidthriveinoratoryskills,butratherinquotidiantasks
particular to of the Socialist revolt, which included scheduling conferences through
making of brochure for publicity, and taking care of internal affairs. His swift
pragmatismenabledhimtoclimbthesocialladderofthecommunistparty,andmuchlike
achameleon,toabsorbofhissurroundings,learningthewaysofpublicaddressfrom
thosearoundhim(Pereira).Onceinpower,Stalinforcedrapidindustrializationandthe
collectivizationofagriculturalland,resultinginmillionsoffatalities,bothfromfamine
andoverworkinginGulags,whichpeakedinthe1930s.Theimpactofthe1931NoSlow
inTempospeechissurprising,asanationstruckbyfamineduetoyearsofagricultural
collectivization,receivedacautiontoworkharderforthegoalofthesocialistrevolution
wholeheartedly(McKay, Wiesner-Hanks, Crowston, Buckler, Hill, and Perry89197).
In this speech, Stalin informs the audience of the necessity to foment a new
Sovietmight,onethatwouldallowforthecontinuationofrapidindustrializationofthe
country,whichhadstartedtolagbehindnationsliketheUSAandBritain.Atfirstthe
addressappealstothecontinuationofSocialistRevolution,remindingRussianmassesof
their purpose, [their] obligations to the workers and peasants of the USSR by
emphasizing the Russian grass roots movement. In doing so, Stalin is not only
makingtheaudienceaccountableforthesituationintheUSSRatthetime,butalso
remindsthemassesofhowthiswastheirwishallalong.Throughouthisspeech,Stalin

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employsimagessuchasthoseinfoundin,Toslackenthetempowouldmeanfalling
behind,whichdemonstrateagreatfearofdefeatintheworldstageonStalinsbehalf,
somethingthatwouldbedevastatingtotheRussianNation.Thesovietleadergoesonto
highlighthowRussiahaslostmoraleandblamesfreemarketeconomyforsuch,asseen
inthemetaphor,battleagainstcapitalism.Subsequently,StalinalludestoLeninasa
tokenoftheimportanceofdyingforthesocialistcause,callingupontheremembranceof
aleadersuchasLenin.Theusageofsuchimagerycanevokeafeelingofnostalgia,
whoseeffectistoreinforceemotioninhisspeech.Imageanddescriptioncanalsobeseen
intheexpression,"Itissaidthatourcountryistheshockbrigadeoftheproletariatofall
countries, in which key words like shockbrigade resonate and create a positive
responseamonglistenerduetotheupliftingnature.Likewise,theusageofpronounssuch
asourandIprevailthroughoutthespeech,whichenableforthecreationasenseof
unity,apowerfulpersuasiontool(Verderber304330).

ThespeechfollowswithanenumerationofSovietfeatsandastatementofhowin
adecadetimefromthen,theUSSRwouldhavetheabilitytosurpasscapitalistcountries,
accentuatingSovietpotentialforcompleteindustrialization.Hisusageofsuchimageryis
aneffectivewayofinstillingfalsehope,asthemeansofthetimewouldneverallowfor
suchoccurrence.Likewise,Stalinsuseofhyperboleseenin,timetoputanendtothe
rottenlineofnoninterferenceinproduction,createsafeelingofdissatisfactiontowards
thesituationathand,byallowingthecriticalassessmentofsuchnoninterferenceas
negative.Theusageofvisual,pejorativeadjectivesnotonlyremindstheaudiencesofan
undesirableoccurrence,butalsohelpsmaterializeStalinsideology.TheSovietleader

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consequentlyinvitestheRussianstocontrolmore,astovalidatetherepressivenessof
theideologyof1930sRussia,whichistooapowerfuloratorytoolusedtotrickmasses
intothinkingtheyhaveachoice(Verderber304330).Hisclosingremarksreiteratehow
oncetheUSSRstudies[industry]techniqueandmaster[its]science,itshalldevelop
atempoofwhich[theSoviets]darenotevendream,anotheropenpromisethatwould
neverseeitselfbefulfilled(Stalin).

LikeNoSlowDowninTempo,ChurchillsWeShallFightThemOnTheBeaches
makesgooduseofstylisticdevicestoconveyeffectivesentimentthroughtext,namely,
repetition.OnJune4th 1940,BritishPremier,WinstonChurchillstoodinfrontofthe
HouseofCommonsaddressingthecountryastoraisemoraleinregardstotheveryreal
andbloodcurdlingSecondWorldWar.Inattemptingtoreassureanationcaughtinthe
wakeofparalyzingandaggressiveGermanforeignpolicy,Churchilladdressesfuture
issuesforBritaininthisnewworldwarthatwouldlingeronfivemoreyears(BBC).The
speech initself carries anearnest, ponderedtone, whichnotonly allows foramore
accessibleconnectionbetweenaudienceandthespeaker,butalsoenablesthereaderto
haveinsightintothetoneoftheoratorandhisfeelingstowardthematter.WeShallFight
ThemOnTheBeaches purposeistoinformtheBritishnationofhowGreatBritainis
morethancapableoffighting,providedBritishcitizensarewillingtomakesacrifices
towardsit,athemecommontoStalinsspeech.

Churchilluseskinestheticimageryandmetaphorindescribingthesituation,as
seenin,weshall[]defendourIslandhome,torideoutthestormofwar,apoeticand

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euphemistic approach which retracts from the gravity of the situation, and thereby
encouragesthemassestoperceiver(Churchill).Themetonymywhichisthefigureof
speechthatreplaces aconcepts namebyterms relatedinmeaningwithitforthe
HitlersNaziGermanyinthemenaceoftyranny,iseffectiveininstillingthenotionof
desensitizationanddisattachmentinregardstoanenemysoldiers(Verderber304330).
Hecontinues,usingqualitativewordssuchasgood,utmost,large,famousand
odious,whichnotonlydeepenhisspeech,butalsogiveanindicationastowhatshould
beideologicallyperceivedasrightandwrong,sinceaudiences,throughthepowerof
persuasion,cometovisualizeandinternalizemassagessubconsciously.Whatfollowsand
isperhapsthemostmovingandrenownedpartofthespeechisaseriesofrepetitionand
enumeration of how the British should proceed through the figure of speech of
anticipationanallusiontofutureevents.TheseventimerepetitionofWeshallfight
createsaleitmotifwhichisadominantthemerecurringintextofhowBritain,as
understoodbytheusageoftheinclusivepronounwe,hasnochoicebuttobattlethe
Axispowers(Quinn).Thephraseistrailedbyatorrentofvisualcuesthatincludethe
descriptionofbattlefieldscenario,whichhelpsromanticizethethoughtofwar,andby
thatmeans,onceagain,retractsfromitsseriousness.TheBritishPremierfinisheshis
speechbyalludingtohowGodsmightwilleventuallylibera[te]theBritishNation
fromtheburdenofwar,ahopefulfinalnote,whichallowsforthepositiveremembrance
of the address. Like Stalin, Churchill makes use of poetic language, charged with
subconsciousmessagesastohowanationshouldact.Veryeffectiveintranscending

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meaning,thistacticofusingemotivelanguageasaweaponofscapegoatingacommon
enemyenhancestextswhilegeneratingtheirappeal(Churchill).

Likethepreviousworldleadersmentionedbefore,GermanThirdReichdictator
Adolf Hitler also made use of literary language in his addresses, namely in his
Proclamation To The German Nation speech in Berlin, his first official address as
German Chancellor (Hitler). On the first late night of February, Hitler addresses a
GermanNationstillinshockformthestockMarketCrashof1929,astoraisemoraleand
layoutaseriesofmeasuresneededtobeadoptedforGermanascentintoworldpolitical
dominance(McKay, Wiesner-Hanks, Crowston, Buckler, Hill, and Perry900918).

HisinitialtoneisalmostwistfulofthetroublestheGermanNationhasfaced
sinceriseoftheWeimarRepublicin1919,bymakinguseofadjectivesandnounswith
negativeconnotationssuchasunhappy,foes,treacheryandevenheartbreaking,
whichinfluencethoughtofanimpartialcrowd.Hitlerwarnsthemassesaboutall[]
the warning signs of this collapse [of the German economy] through usage of
pessimistichyperbolesthatprovokeasentimentoffear,whichwillinstigatereform.Like
theiconicspeechesmentionedabove,HitlerblamesacommonenemyCommunismand
WesternNationsthroughtheusageofimageryandmetaphor,fortheinsidiousattack
upon [his] dismayed and shattered nation (Hitler). Abstract language is useful in
persuadingmasses,asitcanconceallackofsubstanceinspeechandcanevenmakeit
appearsophisticated.Moreover,hisusageofpoeticlanguageisconstantthroughoutthe
address,turningaratherseriousdomesticissueintoanapologue(Verderber304330).

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HitlerscajolingoftheGermanNationashavingimperishablevirtues,enableshimto
finishhisaddressbystatingwhatmustbedonetoachieveGermanspiritualrevival.His
plan: reorganization of trade and commerce and implementation of two fouryear
plans, which aim at revitalizing the German farmer, by attack[ing] []
unemployment.Heendshisspeechonahopefulnotestating,unityis[Germanys]
tool,asametaphorthatinspiresconfidenceandsuccessfullysummarizesthemessageof
theaddress(Hitler).

The effectiveness of these speeches relies on a responsive audience that is

empatheticandpartial.Audiencesallowthemselvestobepersuaded,becausetheyare
seeking convincing. Speakers make use of timeliness strategies that ensure that
promiseswilltakeplaceinthenearfuturewhileestablishingproximitybetweenorator
andaudiencetocreateaconnectionandfeelingofidentification.Identificationiscreated
by common ground, which includes shared experiences, which Stalin, Churchill and
Hitlerallhadwiththeiraudiences.Onecanalsonotehowallspeakersmakeuseliterary
language and minimize the usage of jargon and slang, which makes language more
universal (among classes) and accessible. Finally, the efficacy of the imagery and
adjectivationinallspeechesliesinthehelpitprovidesaudiencestovisualizeandbetter
comprehendtheillustrationofrealorhypotheticalexamples(Verderber304330).

Onthebasisofthereof,onecanseethatemotivenessprovidestheabilitytodivert
the readers attention to another level of understanding language due to its
exceptionalitycomparedtopracticaldaytodayspeech.ChurchillsFightThemonthe

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BeachesaddressthatmakesheavyusageofvisualimageryandHitlersProclamationTo
The German Nations speech that employs negatively connoted words that create a
scapegoatthatfomentshatredandfear,areonlysomeoftheplethoraofnationaddresses
inwhichemotivelanguageisemployed,allduetoitsefficacyinoperatingmasses.This
phenomenaoccursbecausehumansrespondtosentiment,somethingintendedbyStalin
incraftinghis NoSlowDown InTempo address;Stalinsrelishesin adjectivation and
imagerytocaptivateanaudiencesattention,tothepointwherecontentalmostbecomes
secondary.Throughtime,suchtactichasbeenusedasapersuasiontool,andsurelywill
bereutilizedoncemore.Notonlydoesthisshowthatemotivelanguageinhistoryis
relevant,butalsohowitispivotalmarkerinconveyingamessagesuitably.

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Works Cited
BBC. "Churchill Becomes Prime Minister." BBC. BBC, 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Churchill, Winston. "Winston Churchill Speech We Shall Fight Them on the
Beaches." Presentation Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Hitler, Adolf. "Berlin: Proclamation To The German Nation -- February 1, 1933." Hitler. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
McKay, Wiesner-Hanks, Crowston, Buckler, Hill, and Perry. "Chapter 28: Dictatorships and the
Second World War, 1919-1945." A History of Western Society: From the Age of
Exploration to the Present. By Mckay. 10th ed. Vol. II. N.p.: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
891-918. Print.
Pereira, Norman. "Stalin and the Communist Party in the 1920s." History Today 42.8 (1992): n.
pag. History Today. History Today. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
Quinn, Arthur. Figures of Speech: 60 Ways to Turn a Phrase. Salt Lake City: G.M. Smith, 1982.
Print.
Stalin, Joseph. "The Tasks of Business Executives." Marxists Internet Archive. Foreign
Languages Publishing House 1951, 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

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Verderber, Rudolph F., Kathleen S. Verderber, and Deanna Sellnow. "Chapter 13: Adapting
Verbally and Visually." Communicate! 13th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1975.
304-30. Print.