Comparison of Tim Collins` Speech and Jfk`s Inaugural Address

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also addresses different countries, America’s allies, and “those nations who would make themselves our adversary”. However, Tim Collins certainly uses “you” more frequently than Kennedy who uses inclusive pronouns more often. This may be due to the deed to establish a clear chain of command and assert Collins as an authoritative figure.

• Inclusive pronouns such as “we” and “us” are employed in the Inaugural address to evoke a feeling of unity and togetherness between the speaker and those who are listening. This can also be found in Tim Collins` speech- “we go to liberate”. It shifts responsibility to the audience which in the case of the Inaugural address is empowering to the listeners who would feel compelled to take action.

• The use of pronouns also serves to depict the division between the speaker and the audience and an enemy figure. Both speeches make reference to “them” or “those nations”. Tim Collins adopts the term “them” when referring to the enemy in an attempt to dehumanize the opposing forces so that it would be easier for the soldiers to kill “them” if needed.

• Euphemism is used by Tim Collins regularly; he refers to body bags as “their sleeping bags” and tells the soldier to “rock their world”. This is comforting to those listening who would not want to dwell overly long on the consequences of the morally questionable actions they are getting ready to commit. Collins distracts from the reality of war by romanticizing death. The idea of “sleeping” as opposed to dying is much more reassuring and so presents Collins as a sympathetic figure.