COMMISSIVE SPEECH ACTS IN INAUGURAL SPEECHES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BORIS JOHNSON AND RISHI SUNAK

Commissive speech acts involve a speaker's commitment to future actions and are
vital in political contexts where leaders aim to gain trust and convey their vision.
The aims of this study are to analyze and compare the use of commissive speech
acts between UK Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak in their inaugural
speeches, focusing on the types and frequencies of these acts to understand how
each leader communicates commitment and intention. The study utilizes descriptive
qualitative analysis to explore and compare the commissive speech acts used by
Johnson and Sunak. The findings reveal that Johnson employed 44 commissive
acts, including promises, guarantees, refusals, and threats, while Sunak used 17,
consisting solely of promises and guarantees. Promises were the most frequent act
for both leaders, demonstrating their commitment to their roles. However,
Johnson’s speech contained a wider range and greater frequency of commissive
acts, possibly due to its longer duration. This study enhances understanding of
political communication by revealing how leaders use language to shape public
perception, emphasizing the role of commissive speech acts in inaugural speeches.
Keywords: Speech Acts, Commissive Speech Acts, Inaugural Speeches