Presidenttiehdokkaiden puhetyylit persoonan ilmentäjinä

Authors

• Pirkko Nuolijärvi
• Liisa Tiittula

Abstract

The article examines the TV debates during the second round of the 2000 presidential elections in Finland. More specifically, it concentrates on elements that can be understood to construct an image of the two candidates’ personalities. The majority of citizens form their view of the candidates solely on the basis of media coverage. The impact of TV programmes is particularly strong, as the viewer by her- or himself can without the mediating work of the reporter, evaluate the personality of the candidate and her or his statements. The main focus of the article is the interaction between the two main candidates, Esko Aho and Tarja Halonen, and their ways of speaking. The methods used are ethnomethodological conversation analysis and sociolinguistic variation analysis. The analysis focuses on the concrete versus abstract way of talking about the topic, the monological versus dialogical character of the conversation and the linguistic options or variety used by the candidates: these emerged as recurrent and general elements of the interaction when the programmes were viewed repeatedly. The differences between the two candidates regarding these factors help in understanding the way in which an image of each presidential candidate is formed, one having a more distant personality and the other being more cooperative and close to everyday life.