"You bring the steaks, I'll bring the salad": Presenting ordinariness in PM Netanyahu's public talks

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

In line with theories of charismatic leadership (Weber 1947, Shamir et al. 1994), and drawing on Goffman's approach (1959) regarding impression management as well as on Sacks' concept (1984) of (extra)ordinariness as a work done through discourse, this study defines and analyzes a discursive practice employed by Israeli PM Netanyahu in his public talks, namely the construction of an image that on the one hand, all citizens can identify and empathize with, and on the other, presents him as so unique as to be irreplaceable. The examples demonstrate the stylistic, discursive and thematic aspects of Netanyahu's public discourse on the background of culture-specific norms and expectations. The analysis identifies two types of ordinariness that Netanyahu communicates to the audience: The positive ordinariness that Weizman and Fetzer (2018) associate with the fulfillment of civic duties, and being "all-Israeli" in the sense of being an average, down-to-earth member of Israeli society.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Construction of �Ordinariness� across Media Genres
EditorsAnita Fetzer, Elda Weizman
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company
Pages51-72
Number of pages22
ISBN (Electronic)9789027261977
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019

Publication series

NamePragmatics and Beyond New Series
Volume307

Keywords

  • Charismatic leadership
  • Communicated ordinariness
  • Frame alignment
  • Impression management
  • Netanyahu
  • Political speech
  • Self-presentation
  • Staged ordinariness

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language

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