Politeness Strategies in Sadiq Khan’s May 2024 Victory Speech

Abstract

This research explores the use of politeness strategies in Sadiq Khan’s May 2024 victory speech, applying Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory as the analytical lens. Political speeches, especially post-election ones, are rich in pragmatic functions that serve to affirm legitimacy, express gratitude, and manage public perception. Using a descriptive-qualitative method, the study analyzes the speech transcript to identify utterances that reflect four main politeness strategies: Bald On-Record, Positive Politeness, Negative Politeness, and Off-Record. Sixteen utterances were classified and interpreted based on their pragmatic roles in mitigating face-threatening acts (FTAs), building solidarity, and asserting leadership. The findings show that Khan strategically balances directness and empathy, using politeness to navigate political tension and reinforce his image as an inclusive leader. For instance, expressions of gratitude and solidarity enhance audience rapport, while indirect criticisms and apologies soften confrontational elements. These linguistic choices reflect broader socio-political narratives, demonstrating how politeness functions as a persuasive tool in democratic discourse. This study contributes to the intersection of pragmatics and political communication by highlighting the nuanced role of politeness
in shaping leadership identity and public trust. It also opens avenues for future research on cross-cultural politeness strategies and comparative analysis across political contexts and genres.