A Promise of Change: A Transitivity Analysis of Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Addresses

Main Article Content

Rolly G. Salvaleon

Keywords

process type, systemic functional grammar, state of the nation address, transitivity system

Abstract

This paper used the transitivity system to critically analyze how President Rodrigo Duterte explored language utterances in his 2016, 2017 and 2018 State of the Nation Addresses to convey his political promise of change to the Filipinos. The paper employed quantitative and qualitative approaches. Content analysis closely examined the communicative meanings of the linguistic choices used in the addresses. Results reveal that Duterte predominantly used material process in the three addresses to account and concretize his tangible actions and developmental plans for the country. Moreover, verbal process stressed his convictions and directives and to emphasize his charismatic and humorous style of talking. Duterte’s use of relational process is an effort to recognize himself as the prime mover who leads a new foundation to construct a better Philippines. Thus, linguistic choices and structures facilitated the creation of meanings and ideologies which may be hidden to the audience.
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