Speech Analysis

They tried to paint over it, but no dice. This phenomenon is often called "the Pope's revenge."GrunewaldAn area of Berlin named for a circa-1543 hunting lodge that still exists nearby. Grunewald is famous for its beautiful forest, lakes, islets, and yuppie subdivisions.Ku'dammShort for Kurfürstendamm, the Ku'damm was Berlin's most famous street, kind of like 5th Avenue, Rodeo Drive, or the Champs-Elysees in Paris. It's full of shops, restaurants, hotels, galleries, and tourists walking way too slowly.ReichstagWhere German Parliament meets. Or rather, where they met until 1933, when the building was nearly destroyed. It was all fixed up and made snazzy again by 1999, so Parliament meets there now.TiergartenAnother part of Berlin famous for its pretty, forested park (lots of pretty forests in Germany) and for being the location of the Reichstag building.EastBerlinThe Soviet-controlled portion of Berlin that existed from 1949 to 1990.EastGermanyAlso known as the German Democratic Republic, or GDR. East Germany was controlled by the Soviets and was in existence from 1949 until the country's reunification in 1990.WestBerlinThe democratic capitalist part of Berlin, the brainchild of the Western allies, which found itself walled in by the Soviets one day in 1961.WestGermanyAlso known as the Federal Republic of Germany, or FRG, West Germany existed from 1949 until Germany was reunified in 1989.Stylistic devices analysisStylistic DeviceExamplesReasons of UseAsyndetic listing1. … we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind--too little food.2. … it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship.To create a strong climatic effectRepetition (short sentences)1. Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.2. Because we remained strong, the Soviets came back to the table. And because we remained strong, today we have within reach the possibility…3. Let us use this occasion, the 750th anniversary of this city, to usher in a new era, <…>. Together, let us maintain and develop the ties between the Federal Republic and the Western sectors of Berlin, <…>.And I invite Mr. Gorbachev: Let us work to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the city closer together <…>.… let us expand the vital air access to this city.4. … that says yes to this city, yes to the future, yes to freedom.To create emphasis on the ideaCreating dramatic pauses (via hyphens)But I believe there's something deeper, something that involves Berlin's whole look and feel and way of life – not mere sentiment.Empowering the meaning of the wordsRhetorical questionsAre these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West, or to strengthen the Soviet system without changing it?To deliberately provoke the audience start thinking in a certain way Metaphor (and repetition)Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.Metaphor is created by contrasting material concrete wall and abstract notions as truth and freedom. The latter in this metaphor are stronger which makes the receivers think that they’re stronger and they’re right.Individual style analysisThe manner of speech of Ronald Reagan is defined as persuasive. Based on the analyzed speech there is nothing more but to agree with this definition. Indeed, from the reaction of the audience it is clear that the speaker grabs their attention. The deep and smooth voice, meaningful pauses, use of suitable address to the listeners, appeal to their values and feelings – all this makes Ronald Reagan a persuasive speaker. His speech is clear, he doesn’t use many jocks, but wits(referring to local German phenomena and using German language), which provokes in the listeners admiration and delight.Reagan is famous for avuncular style which can easily be observed in this speech. He tries to care for Berliners both from the western and the eastern parts. Moreover, he shows his concern in the future of the “totalitarian world” (the USSR) and expresses hope that they will as well become just as free as the Western world.ConclusionThe speech by Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate “Tear down this wall!” is one of the bright examples of the process of the Cold war between the USA and the USSR. The American President skillfully created in the minds of the audience an image of terrible totalitarian communist state in the East and an image of united free and flourishing world in the West. Using the variety of rhetorical and stylistic technics Reagan wins the audience and in the tape it is obvious how the audience becomes more and more resonated with each of his next-coming message.