3.3.2 Comparison of Obama`s Foreign Speeches

As it has been pointed out, Obama`s foreign speeches come not only from various countries but they were also intended for various events and audience. This is the reason why not only Obama himself but also the others were speaking; nevertheless, the parts of the transcripts of these other speakers were not taken into consideration. Therefore, the parts of the transcript where, for instance, the speech of Victor Medvedev or the question of the member of the audience is recorded, were not analyzed and included in total number of analyzed paragraphs. Moreover, also Obama`s instructions for the audience or his greetings were omitted from overall analysis as well.

Obama`s speech in Strasbourg’s Town Hall bring together results that confirm some suggestions that are valid also for his domestic speeches; on the other hand, some features are rather specific only for this speech. The results are summarized in tables 16-18.

Also for this speech, the most characteristic feature is the use of entailment in the majority of paragraphs. Some pieces of information are stressed out by this language device in 54 paragraphs of total 84, which means 64.29 per cent. Yet the result indicates that its use does not reach the score of some of Obama` domestic speeches.

The speech intends to be a relatively concrete and informative. In 49 paragraphs, Obama is trying to provide and explain concrete facts that might not be clear or that should be highlighted. The speech thus does not offer just plain hints to the past, simple proposals or promises. Yet even inexplicit hints are represented and occur in the rest 41.67 per cent of paragraphs. The explicitness is therefore distinctive for approximately three fifths of paragraphs.

Although the speech is mainly concrete, it is also a quite persuasive. The majority of paragraphs, concretely 45, try to promise or propose some Obama's future steps. Especially proposals are quite frequent, they appear in 41.67 per cent of paragraphs. Yet, as it has been previously pointed out, Obama efforts to introduce concrete problems which he want to solve. The second most represented theme is pointing to the present situation. It occurs in 28 paragraphs, which also means one third of them in the whole speech. However, this fact is not such surprising as these hints were frequent also in Obama's domestic speeches.

Table 16: Themes in Obama’s Speech in France

Prevailing theme	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Past	11	13.10%
Present	28	33.33%
Promise	10	11.90%
Proposal	35	41.67%

Table 17: Entailment in Obama`s Speech in France

Entailment	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Yes	54	64.29%
No	30	35.71%

Table 18: Explicitness in Obama`s Speech in France

Explicitness	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Reference	49	58.33%
Inference	35	41.67%

Barack Obama` speech at New Start Treaty meeting was significantly shorter than the previous speech. It consists of just 43 paragraphs. Yet it is possible to trace some general features. Their summary is compiled in tables 19-21.

First of all, this speech is characterized by yet more degree of explicitness than it was in previous speech. Together, 30 paragraphs intend to bring concrete information or description of necessary steps. In other words, it is more than two thirds of paragraphs, exactly 69.77 per cent. As it has been mentioned in the description of this speech, all discussed problems and issues were negotiated and agreed on prior to this final signing of the treaty so both politicians were not afraid to speak openly. Conversely, the main purpose of this meeting was to acquaint with their aims also uninitiated laymen.

However, Obama`s purpose was not to talk about the past. Although the reference to present situation is a component of the most of paragraphs, concretely 17, i.e. 39.53 per cent, also various proposals and especially promises appear nearly in the half of the paragraphs. Together, they appear in 21, and promises on their own in 14 paragraphs; therefore, the occurrence of promises reaches 32.56 per cent. The speech is thus quite persuasive; yet this does not mean that these promises or proposals are just unclear and not concrete. Conversely, the explicitness together with persuasiveness is a common feature of both foreign speeches which have been so far analyzed.

In this speech, entailment occurs in 28 paragraphs, i.e. 65.12 per cent. Again, these numbers support the hypothesis that entailment is a necessary component of political speeches.

Table 19: Themes in Obama`s Speech in the Czech Republic

Prevailing theme	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Past	5	11.63%
Present	17	39.53%
Promise	14	32.56%
Proposal	7	16.28%

Table 20: Entailment in Obama`s Speech in the Czech Republic

Entailment	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Yes	28	65.12%
No	15	34.88%

Table 21: Reference in Obama`s Speech in the Czech Republic

Explicitness	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Reference	30	69.77%
Inference	13	30.23%

Obama's speech for Chinese students is again a longer one, it consists of 72 paragraphs. Tables 22-24 bring together complete results of occurrence of particular features.

Unlike two previous speeches, this one belongs to those which message is not so clear and precisely stated. Statements that just offer such inexplicit message appear in 42 paragraphs, which is 58.33 per cent. This result approves the validity of the description of this speech in chapter 3.2.3. It means that Obama was rather cautious and he carefully chose what to say and how.

Reference to present situation is also in this case the prevailing theme. Current topics appear in 45 paragraphs, i.e. 62.50 per cent. On the contrary, promises occur only in 8 paragraphs. When speaking about the future, Obama rather prefers offering some kind of proposal in this case. Proposals thus appear in 12 paragraphs, which is 16.67 per cent. Such approach confirms the suggestion that Obama tried to be very cautious.

A high degree of inexplicit statements is supported also by more frequent use of entailment. Obama uses it in 55 paragraphs, which is more than three quarters of them, exactly 76.39 per cent of all paragraphs. The persuasiveness of this speech is therefore rather based on highlighting of particular part of the statement. And it is mainly on the audience to decode the message or to find what Obama had in the mind when he was speaking.

Table 22: Themes in Obama`s Speech in China

Prevailing theme	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Past	9	12.50%
Present	45	62.50%
Promise	6	8.33%
Proposal	12	16.67%

Table 23: Entailment in Obama`s Speech in China

Entailment	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Yes	55	76.39%
No	17	23.61%

Table 24: Explicitness in Obama`s Speech in China

Explicitness	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Reference	30	41.67%
Inference	42	58.33%

Obama's speech in China seems to be rather a bit exceptional as the speech that he delivered in Canada again resembles more the other foreign speeches that have been analyzed so far. This resemblance is either in the explicitness or occurrence of entailment. Tables 25-27 summary all aspects of this speech.

The speech is extraordinarily explicit as the reference to concrete events or steps has reached the highest rate so far, i.e. 86.93 per cent. In other words, only 9 paragraphs of 69 contain the message that is not concrete and must be inferred. The speech thus offers a considerable amount of information.

Again, this does not mean that Obama describes only the steps that he has made or topics that deal only with present situation. Conversely the highest rate is reached by paragraphs with proposals. They occur in 24 paragraphs, i.e. 34.78 per cent. Together with another 13 paragraphs with promises, the hints to the future reach even the majority of the paragraphs. Obama`s attention to present situation was focused on in 31.88 per cent of paragraphs. The speech is therefore quite persuasive and simultaneously informative. These features have prevailed in the majority of so far analyzed speeches.

A high proportion of explicitness is again accompanied by lower occurrence of entailment. Although it again appears in the majority of paragraphs, it is just 56.52 per cent of paragraphs, which is a bit less than in previous examples.

Table 25: Themes in Obama`s Speech in Canada

Prevailing theme	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Past	10	14.49%
Present	22	31.88%
Promise	13	18.84%
Proposal	24	34.78%

Table 26: Entailment in Obama`s Speech in Canada

Entailment	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Yes	39	56.52%
No	30	43.48%

Table 27: Explicitness in Obama`s Speech in Canada

Explicitness	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Reference	60	86.96%
Inference	9	13.07%

Finally, Obama`s speech in the United Kingdom would be analyzed. Generally, all analyzed aspects reach rather average rates. The results are summarized in tables 28-30.

The speech is again quite explicit, Obama talks about concrete steps in 29 of 51 paragraphs. Yet another 43.14 per cent of paragraphs consist of the statements where the message should be inferred. Reference and inference are therefore quite balanced in this speech.

The use of entailment is also in this case the most characteristic feature of the speech. It occurs in 39 paragraphs, i.e. 76.47 per cent of them. Yet its occurrence does not reach the highest rate of the speeches that were analyzed. This results also particularly confirms the suggestion that the speeches that are too explicit does not rely so much on entailment and vice versa.

The hints to the present situation occur in 19 paragraphs, i.e. 37.25 per cent. Thus, they are again the most represented topic. On the other hand, promises and proposals appear together in 22 paragraphs. Therefore, the effort to persuade others about the future steps is also in this case the main purpose of the speech. This result is influenced especially by various proposals which appear in 16 paragraphs, i.e. 31.37 per cent of them.

Table 28: Themes in Obama`s Speeches in the United Kingdom

Prevailing theme	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Past	10	19.61%
Present	19	37.25%
Promise	6	11.76%
Proposal	16	31.37%

Table 29: Entailment in Obama`s Speech in the United Kingdom

Entailment	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Yes	39	76.47%
No	12	23.53%

Table 30: Explicitness in Obama`s Speech in The United Kingdom

Explicitness	Paragraph(s)	Per cent
Reference	29	56.86%
Inference	22	43.14%