The Endless Ideological Struggle Between the Right and Left Wings in Politics: An Ideo-Transitivity Approach to Critical Discourse Analysis

	Al-Noor Journal for Humanities
	https://jnh.alnoor.edu.iq/
The Endless Ideological Struggle Between the Right and Left Wings in Politics: An Ideo-Transitivity Approach to Critical Discourse Analysis
M T Yousif
Department of English, College of Education for Women, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
Article information			Abstract
Article history: Received 1/4/2025 Revised11/5/2025 Accepted 25/6/2025			This study examines the ongoing ideological struggle between the right and left wings in politics, analyzing how political figures from both sides use language to construct agency, responsibility, and power. The research focuses on speeches by key leaders—Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Bernie Sanders, and Jeremy Corbyn—through the lens of transitivity in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), combined with insights from Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA).
Keywords: Political Discourse  Transitivity  Right-wing  Left-wing Systemic Functional Linguistics Critical Discourse Analysis Ideology Agency  Power  Political Rhetoric
Correspondence: [email protected]
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69513/jnfh.v3.i2.a15  ©Authors, 2025, College of Education, Alnoor University. This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

 

الصراع الأيديولوجي المستمر بين الجناحين اليميني واليساري في السياسة: دراسة في التعدّية والأيديولوجيا ضمن تحليل الخطاب النقدي

 

مؤيد تحسين يوسف

قسم اللغة الإنجليزية، كلية التربية للبنات، جامعة الموصل

الموصل، العراق

المستخلص :

       تتناول هذه الدراسة الصراع الأيديولوجي المستمر بين جناحي اليمين واليسار في السياسة، مُحللةً كيفية استخدام الشخصيات السياسية من كلا الجانبين للغة لبناء الفاعلية والمسؤولية والسلطة. يُركز البحث على خطابات القادة الرئيسيين - دونالد ترامب، ونايجل فاراج، وبيرني ساندرز، وجيريمي كوربين - من خلال منظور التعدية في اللغويات الوظيفية النظامية (SFL)، إلى جانب رؤى من تحليل الخطاب النقدي (CDA).

 

 

الكلمات المفتاحية: الخطاب السياسي، التعدية، اليمين، اليسار، اللغويات الوظيفية النظامية، تحليل الخطاب النقدي، الأيديولوجيا، الفاعلية، السلطة، الخطاب السياسي

 

 

 

 

1. Introduction

   The ideological divide between the right and left wings has long shaped political discourse worldwide. This does not only affect the policies and the values of political parties but also the swaying the public opinion and the political movements. The language vital role   appears clearly within their speeches.  Particularly, power, responsibility, and agency as far as Fairclough’s ideological framework (1), A deeper understanding can be gained through the examination of political leaders’ speeches of both parties constructing and communicating their ideological stances to the public.

Transitivity, a key element of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), is a useful tool for analysing the way actions, participants, and processes are portrayed in political discourse. Halliday (1994) (2)comes up with what is called transitivity which encompasses various process types—material, mental, relational, verbal, behavioural, and existential that reflect how events and participants are represented in speech. The linguistic choices do not only reveal the speaker’s intentions and agency but their ideological perspectives. In other words, the right-wing discourse tends to favor material processes, focusing on tangible actions and outcomes, positioning themselves as agents of change and defenders of national sovereignty. unlike left-wing speakers often employs mental processes to emphasize emotional appeals and social justice narratives (3).

    Transitivity serves as a powerful tool for constructing political identities. It frames societal issues at both parties’ concerns. Concerning comparison between the right-wing and left-wing ideological divide, the Right-wing rhetoric often highlights nationalism, economic protectionism, and law and order, using material processes and imperatives to portray these policies as essential for national stability. While the left-wing discourse typically emphasizes social equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability, utilizing mental and relational processes to present these values as moral imperatives and collective responsibilities (4).

    This study discovers the way the four political figures from both wings—right-wings like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage, and left-wing progressives like Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn— use transitivity in their speeches. The research will analyse the linguistic strategies employed by these leaders asserting power and legitimizing their ideological positions. This study aims at deepening the understanding of the ongoing ideological struggle between the right and left. At the end, concerning the right and left wings, it is important to mention what has Ibrahim (2025) mentioned in his research about War Trauma which represent the main issue of the two wings. The First World War had profound effects on society, shaping the thoughts and ideologies of both the left and right wings. For the left, the war presented the inequalities of capitalist. It emphasizes the need for social change, solidarity, and the dismantling of power structures that lead to such conflicts. Conversely, the right wing views the war through the lens of patriotism and national pride. Both perspectives acknowledge the psychological toll.

2 Literature Review

     The ideological struggle between right-wing and left-wing factions in politics represents a focal point of academic inquiry. In other words, how language constructs and conveys    political ideologies, power dynamics, and public authority. Political discourse represents also a vehicle for expressing policies or opinions. It   serves as a means of framing power as well as negation through strategic linguistic choices. This literature review examines both how the right-wing and left-wing ideologies are expressed and reinforced within the discourse of key political figures such as Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Bernie Sanders, and Jeremy Corbyn.

2.1 Political Discourse and Ideology

   Basically, political discourse lies the contest for ideological supremacy. The political figures align themselves with certain values to shape the way their audience practicing the political landscape. It is widely-known that Ideology is closely intertwined with language use, as Fowler (1991) (4) asserts. political discourse reflects ideological bias through linguistic choices that highlight or obscure agency, responsibility, and power. The right-wing discourse often focuses on issues such as nationalism, economic protectionism, and security, while left-wing discourse tends to prioritize social justice, equality, and human rights.

      Halliday’s (1994) (2) framework of transitivity is particularly useful in analyzing how political speakers employ language to frame events and participants. According to Halliday, the process types within transitivity—material, mental, relational, verbal, behavioral, and existential—are used to assign agency and shape power dynamics. Material processes, for example, highlight actions or events, often casting political leaders as active agents who can implement change, while mental processes reveal the beliefs and perceptions that motivate action. Relational processes define relationships, establishing identities and roles, while verbal processes are employed to assert or persuade through communication. Behavioral processes and existential processes offer a more personal or reflective mode of expression.

2.2 Right-Wing Discourse: Constructing Agency and Power

      In right-wing rhetoric, language is often used to reinforce national sovereignty, economic independence, and traditional values. Donald Trump, for instance, uses a significant amount of material processes to articulate a vision of action-oriented change. His famous campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” reflects a material process where America (the goal) is actively being rebuilt through American leadership (the agent). Trump's speeches frequently employ imperatives, such as "We will build the wall" and "We will fight for the American people," which reflect active agency and national action (3).

      Similarly, Nigel Farage, the prominent Brexit campaigner, uses transitivity to frame Brexit as a struggle for national autonomy and self-determination. In his speeches, material processes are prevalent, as seen in phrases like “We will take back control” or “We want our borders back,” which focus on the agency of the British people and their right to make decisions independently of the European Union. Farage’s rhetoric constructs the UK’s identity in opposition to the EU, positioning the European establishment as the other to be challenged (4). Both Trump and Farage frequently employ relational processes to define their political identities. For example, in the Brexit context, Farage often frames the UK as a unified force, such as in the statement, “We are one nation,” which positions Brexit as an essential national identity project (1).

2.3. Left-Wing Discourse: Ideology of Social Justice and Responsibility

      On the other hand, left-wing political discourse often centers on issues of social justice, economic equality, and the moral responsibility of the state to protect marginalized groups. Leaders like Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn use mental processes extensively in their speeches to frame political actions as morally motivated. Sanders’ rhetoric, for instance, often emphasizes the beliefs of the American public, such as in the statement: “I believe we need universal healthcare.” This focus on mental processes highlights his commitment to addressing inequality and the economic crisis, while material processes are used to underscore tangible reforms, like “We will ensure healthcare for all” (2).Corbyn’s rhetoric similarly utilizes mental processes to express his critique of austerity measures and economic injustice, exemplified in his statement, “The Tories calculated that making life worse for millions would pay for hefty tax handouts”  Van Dijk (3). These statements express not just beliefs but a moral stance against economic policies that Corbyn views as exploitative. Furthermore, relational processes in Corbyn’s and Sanders’ speeches often define their political identities as champions of the people, positioning their movements in opposition to corporate elites. For instance, Corbyn asserts, “It is Labour that is now setting the agenda,” which defines the party as the agent of political change Fowler (4).

2.4 Transitivity in Right-Wing vs. Left-Wing Discourse

      By comparing the political discourse of right-wing leaders like Trump and Farage with left-wing leaders such as Sanders and Corbyn, the study of transitivity reveals how language constructs political power and ideology. The right-wing frequently employs imperatives and material processes, focusing on action-oriented goals such as rebuilding the nation, securing borders, and restoring national pride. Conversely, the left-wing uses mental processes to convey moral beliefs and social responsibility, while relational processes define their ideologies in opposition to social inequality and injustice. The contrasting use of transitivity in these political speeches not only reflects the differing ideologies of the right and left but also shapes public perception and political discourse. As Van Leeuwen (2008) notes, the manipulation of transitivity can serve as a means to either emphasize or downplay responsibility, positioning political actors as either the agents of change or victims of an oppressive system.

3. Research Questions:

1. How do right and left-wing leaders use transitivity to frame agency and responsibility in their political speeches?
2. What are the differences in transitivity choices between right and left-wing rhetoric in both the US and UK?
3. How do these choices reflect broader ideological positioning?

4. Research Objectives:

This study aims to:

1. Analyze the use of transitivity processes in the political speeches of right-wing and left-wing leaders, focusing on how these processes are employed to frame agency and responsibility in the construction of political narratives.
2. Identify the dominant transitivity processes (material, mental, relational, verbal, behavioral, and existential) used by right-wing leaders (Donald Trump, Nigel Farage) and left-wing leaders (Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn) in their speeches, comparing their frequency and usage.
3. Investigate the differences in transitivity choices between right and left-wing rhetoric, specifically focusing on the US and UK political contexts, and exploring how these choices reflect their ideological positions and power relations.
4. Examine how transitivity choices reflect broader ideological positioning by comparing the discourse strategies of right and left-wing leaders, highlighting how agency, power, and responsibility are framed differently in the political discourse of each side.
5. Explore the contribution of transitivity to the construction of right-wing and left-wing political discourse, analyzing how these linguistic features are used to promote or challenge political agendas, national identity, and social values.
6. Provide insights into how transitivity, as a tool of linguistic analysis, can be used to deepen our understanding of political rhetoric, especially in terms of ideological positioning, public persuasion, and the shaping of political ideologies in both the US and UK contexts.
7. Methodology:

            The present study employs a qualitative and quantitative approach. It analyses   the political speeches of both right- and left-wing leaders. These political figures are both from the United States and the United Kingdom. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), specifically focusing on transitivity processes and integrating Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA.). UAM software was employed for coding and classifying the linguistic data according to transitivity processes across the different political figures. Microsoft Excel was used for data organization, categorization, and visualization of results; tables and pie charts.

6 Data Collection:

       The data used in this study consist of four prominent political figures representing the two wings of politics, right and left:

1.Right-wing Leaders: Donald Trump (USA), Nigel Farage  

     (UK)

2.Left-wing Leaders: Bernie Sanders (USA), Jeremy  

   Corbyn (UK) The selected speeches are as follows:

3.Trump’s inaugural address, State of the Union speeches,  

   election speeches. 2017 (https://shorturl.at/eauKq)

4.Nigel Farage’s Brexit campaign speeches, European  

   Parliament addresses, and UKIP party speeches.2016  

   (https://shorturl.at/MkvrW)

5.Sanders’ presidential campaign speeches.2016                   

      (https://shorturl.at/NEa4P )

6.Jeremy Corbyn’s conference speech 2017 (https://shorturl.at/hTdXS)

   All the four speeches extracted from publicly were taken from campaign websites, news archives, and official government or political party statements. The selection of Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Bernie Sanders, and Jeremy Corbyn for this study was based on their prominent roles in recent political discourse in the United States and the United Kingdom. These figures have been actively involved in shaping political ideologies, particularly in the right-wing and left-wing factions, and represent two significant political positions within their respective countries. Each leader's rhetoric has significantly influenced public opinion and policy debates.

7. Data analysis

    In this study, not all speeches of the selected political figures were included in the analysis due to space constraints. Only the speeches that represent a turning point in the world of politics in both wings. However, more in-depth analysis of the transitivity processes was used just as follows:

1. Material Processes: Actions or events that involve an actor and a goal (e.g., "We will rebuild the country").
2. Mental Processes: Processes of cognition, perception, or desire (e.g., "I believe we need change").
3. Relational Processes: Defining or attributing relationships between participants (e.g., "This is your day").
4. Verbal Processes: Processes of communication (e.g., "I will say this to you").
5. Behavioral Processes: Processes involving bodily actions (e.g., "I will fight for you").
6. Existential Processes: Describing the existence of something (e.g., "There is no room for prejudice").
7. 8. Right Wing Speeches
8. Trump’s Inaugural Address 2017

Transitivity Process Analysis:

1. 1. Material Processes:

 These processes represent actions or events, typically involving an actor (who performs the action) and a goal (target of the action).

Examples:

1. "We will rebuild our country" — "We" (actor) will perform the action of rebuilding (goal).
2. "We will bring back our jobs" — "We" (actor) will perform the action of bringing back (goal).
3. "We will build new roads and highways" — "We" (actor) will perform the action of building (goal).

Justification:

 Material processes dominate political speeches, emphasizing action and change. Political leaders often focus on concrete plans and outcomes, such as rebuilding nations, restoring jobs, and improving infrastructure, framing themselves as agents of transformation.

2. 2. Mental Processes:

These refer to processes of cognition, perception, or emotion, expressing beliefs, desires, or thoughts.

Examples:

1. "Americans want great schools for their children" — "Americans" (sensor) are expressing a mental process (desire) for good education (phenomenon).
2. "I believe in a fair economy" — "I" (sensor) expresses a mental process (belief) in fairness (phenomenon).

Justification: Mental processes reveal a leader’s beliefs, values, and ideological positions. While less frequent than material processes, they help frame the discourse by showing what the leader believes the public desires or needs, aligning their rhetoric with the aspirations of their supporters.

3. 3. Relational Processes:

Relationships and attribution are the main concern of these processes just as follows:

 the verb "to be."

Examples:

1. "This is your day" — "This" (subject) is identified as "your day" (complement).
2. "America is the land of freedom" — "America" (subject) is defined as the land of freedom (complement).

Justification:

So, to frame a nation’s identity, a leader’s role or/and to establish a political identity and core values, Relational Process were considered  

4. 4. Verbal Processes:

These involve saying or communication. They are often used to make declarations or assertions in political discourse.

Examples:

1. "We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world" — "We" (actor) assert the intention to seek (goal).
2. "We will shine for everyone to follow" — "We" (actor) assert a future state of shining (goal).

Justification:

To justify, verbal processes allow political leaders to make direct declarations and to assert their plans in addition to frame their political agenda. This process is considered as a key element that expresses the leader's vision and aligning public opinion with their proposed actions.

5. 5. Behavioral Processes:

The behavioral processes represent generally both actions and / or bodily responses, often used to express personal commitment or emotions.

Examples:

1. "I will fight for you with every breath in my body" — "I" (actor) performs the action of fighting (goal).
2. "I will stand with you through thick and thin" — "I" (actor) is performing the action of standing (goal).

Justification:

So, justification of behavioral processes means emphasizing the personal dedication and the emotional involvement. In fact, they are used to express   the leadership in terms offering policies and demonstrating both the emotional and the personal commitment to the people they represent.

6. 6. Existential Processes:

Just looking at the name means it is matter of existentialism where the existence or non-existence of something, often uses instructions like "there is" or "there are."

Examples:

1. "There is no room for prejudice" — "Prejudice" (phenomenon) is identified as not existing (process).
2. "There is a path forward" — "A path forward" (phenomenon) exists (process).

Justification:

Existential processes are used to make general statements about societal realities or political possibilities. They can serve to highlight societal issues or define what is possible in the future, framing the discourse in terms of what exists or does not exist within society.

 

 

 

 

Table 1: Trump Transitivity Process Breakdown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pie Chart 1: Trump Proportional Distribution of Transitivity Processes

1. Nigel Farage’s Brexit campaign speeches, European Parliament addresses, and UKIP party speeches.2016

Transitivity Process Analysis

1. 1. Material Processes:

These processes express actions or events, with an actor (who performs the action) and a goal (the recipient or target of the action.

Examples:

1. "You have imposed upon them a political union" — "You" (actor) is performing the action of imposing the political union on "them" (goal).
2. "We want our country back, we want our fishing waters back, we want our borders back" — "We" (actor) are performing the action of wanting to take back these national assets.
3. "We will trade with you, cooperate with you" — "We" (actor) are performing the actions of trading and cooperating with you (goal).

Justification:

 Material processes dominate in this speech, emphasizing action and direct political change. Farage focuses on what needs to be done and what will happen as a result of Brexit. His emphasis on taking back control is framed through action-oriented language (e.g., impose, want, trade, cooperate).

Mental Processes:

Mental processes involve cognition, perception, or desires, and they express beliefs, opinions, or desires.

Examples:

1. "I don’t believe government should take over the grocery store" — "I" (sensor) expresses the belief that government should not intervene in the grocery store.
2. "I know that virtually none of you have ever done a proper job in your lives" — "I" (sensor) expresses knowledge about the audience's professional background.

Justification:

Mental processes are used to express beliefs and highlight contrasts between the EU establishment and the UK citizens. Farage uses mental processes to question the credibility of EU officials and the validity of their positions.

2. 2. Relational Processes:

Relational processes define or identify relationships between participants or attribute qualities to them.

Examples:

1. "This is your moment" — "This" (subject) is identified as "your moment" (complement).
2. "You are in denial" — "You" (subject) is identified as being in denial (complement).
3. "We are one nation" — "We" (subject) is identified as one nation (complement).

Justification:

 Relational processes are used to define identities (e.g., "We are one nation") and establish the EU's position (e.g., "You are in denial"). These processes reflect the identity construction central to Farage’s Brexit rhetoric, framing the UK as a unified nation and the EU as out of touch.

3. 3. Verbal Processes:

Verbal processes involve saying or communication.

Examples:

1. "Listen to some simple pragmatic economics" — "I" (actor) is saying to "you" (listener) to listen to economic arguments.
2. "I’ll make one prediction this morning" — "I" (actor) is saying a prediction to the audience.

Justification:

 Verbal processes in this speech are used to assert and project authority. Farage often uses assertions to communicate his positions, guiding the audience to accept his viewpoint on Brexit and the EU's failings.

4. 4. Behavioral Processes:

These processes represent bodily actions or responses, but are less common in political discourse.

Examples:

1. "I will fight for you with every breath in my body" — "I" (actor) is performing the action of fighting for the people.

Justification:

 Behavioral processes are used sparingly, but when employed, they highlight Farage’s personal commitment to the cause of Brexit and his dedication to the working class. This use of behavioral processes emphasizes the personal nature of his political mission.

5. 5. Existential Processes:

Existential processes describe the existence of something.

Examples:

1. "There is no room for prejudice" — Existential process expressing the absence of prejudice in the nation Farage envisions.

Justification:

 Existential processes are used to make general statements about the state of society, such as inclusivity and patriotism. These processes help frame political identity and values.

 

Table (2) Farage Transitivity Process Breakdown in Table Format:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pie Chart (2) : Farage Proportional Distribution of Transitivity Processes:

9 Left wing Speeches 

1. Sanders’ presidential campaign speeches.2016

Transitivity Process Analysis

Material Processes: These processes represent actions or events, with an actor performing the action and a goal (target) receiving the action.

Examples:

1. "We have an economic and political crisis in this country" — "We" (actor) are involved in the action of acknowledging the crisis (goal).
2. "We need to develop a political movement" — "We" (actor) perform the action of developing a movement (goal).
3. "We will rebuild and invest in our economy" — "We" (actor) are performing the action of rebuilding and investing (goal).
4. "We want our country back; we want our borders back" — "We" (actor) want (mental action) the country and borders back (goal).

Justification:

 Material processes dominate in the speeches analyzed, emphasizing action and future plans. The political leader or party positions itself as the actor capable of bringing change, addressing crises, and shaping the future through concrete actions such as rebuilding the nation and restoring economic power. The frequent use of material processes highlights a focus on tangible goals and decisive action.

2. 2. Mental Processes:

Cognition, perception, or emotion, expressing beliefs, desires, or thoughts are represented by mental processes

Examples:

1. "I don't believe government should take over the grocery store" — "I" (sensor) expresses a mental process (belief) about government control.
2. "I think we can find a Commons majority for all of that" — "I" (sensor) expresses a belief in the possibility of political success.

Justification:

As for justification, mental processes are used to frame beliefs and values that are pivotal  in conveying ideological positions., these processes widely used  to express leaders' perspectives on governance, policy, and societal needs. They are used in topics that express ideology and public opinion

3. 3. Relational Processes:

These processes describe relationships or attributes between things or people, typically using the verb "to be."

Examples:

1. "Democratic socialism means that the wealthiest people must pay their fair share of taxes" — "Democratic socialism" (subject) is defined by its belief in tax fairness (complement).
2. "This is your day" — "This" (subject) is identified as "your day" (complement).

Justification:

 These processes represent the main key in the construction of political identities. They define power dynamics. For left-wing leaders, these processes frame societal issues, such as wealth distribution and social justice. For right-wing leaders, these processes emphasize national identity, unity, and traditional values’ defense.

4. 4. Verbal Processes:

 These processes involve saying or communicating. They involve assertions and/or declarations in political speeches.

Examples:

1. "You are being robbed" — "You" (hearer) is the target of communication, where the speaker declares that the public is being deprived.
2. "Listen to some simple pragmatic economics" — "I" (actor) is urging the audience to heed economic advice.

Justification: Verbal processes are employed to assert authority, frame issues, and influence the audience. They are often used by political leaders to direct public attention, create urgency, and express ideological positions clearly.

5. 5. Behavioral Processes:

These represent bodily actions or responses, often used to signify personal commitment or emotional involvement.

 

 

Examples:

1. "I will fight for you" — "I" (actor) performs the action of fighting, symbolizing a personal commitment to defending the audience's interests.

Justification:

Typically, these processes are less frequent in political discourse. Mostly, they are used to demonstrate personal dedication, where leaders want to show solidarity with their people in terms of the emotional connection.

6. 6. Existential Processes:

These processes describe the existence or presence of something, often framed with "there is" or "there are."

Examples:

1. "There is no room for prejudice" — This existential process emphasizes the absence of prejudice in a society.
2. "There’s a coalition of chaos" — This existential process reflects the current political disarray.

Justification:

 Existential processes are used to make broad statements about societal issues as well as to frame political discourse, i.e., their existentialism in society, pointing to challenges or shortcomings that require collective action.

Table (3) Sanders Transitivity Process Breakdown in Table Format:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pie Chart (3): Sanders Proportional Distribution of Transitivity Processes:

1. Jeremy Corbyn 's Speech'

Transitivity Process Analysis

1. 1. Material Processes:

These represent actions or events, with an actor performing the action and a goal (target) receiving the action.

Examples:

1. "We meet here this week as a united party" — "We" (actor) meet (action) to form a unified party (goal).
2. "We will rebuild and invest in our economy" — "We" (actor) are performing the action of rebuilding and investing in the economy (goal).
3. "We have become a government-in-waiting" — "We" (actor) have become (action) a government-in-waiting (goal).
4. "We want our country back, we want our borders back" — "We" (actor) want (mental action) the country and borders back (goal).

Justification:

 The material processes dominate in this speech, reflecting a strong emphasis on action and future plans. The Labour party positions itself as an actor capable of bringing change to the country by addressing economic inequality and rebuilding the nation’s future.

2. 2. Mental Processes:

Mental processes involve the expression of beliefs, desires, and thoughts. They are crucial for articulating ideological positions.

Examples:

1. "I think we can find a Commons majority for all of that" — "I" (sensor) expresses a belief about achieving majority in the House of Commons.
2. "The Tories calculated that making life worse for millions would pay for hefty tax handouts" — "The Tories" (sensor) calculated (mental process) how austerity would help certain groups.
3. "You’re welcome" — "I" (speaker) expresses sarcasm to the Prime Minister regarding Labour’s influence on Tory policies.

Justification:

 The mental processes highlight beliefs, opinions, and perceptions, especially contrasting the Tories' views with Labour's. For example, calculating and thinking reveal the Tories' strategic decisions, while Labour emphasizes hope and progress for the country.

3. 3. Relational Processes:

Relational processes define or attribute qualities to things and people, often using the verb "to be".

Examples:

1. "It is Labour that is now setting the agenda" — "Labour" (subject) is defined as setting the agenda (complement).
2. "This is a weak and divided Government" — "This" (subject) is defined as a weak and divided Government (complement).
3. "That is what we have done" — "That" (subject) is identified as something Labour has accomplished (complement).

 

Justification:

 Relational processes are employed to define identities and assign qualities to the parties. For instance, the Labour party is depicted as a strong, proactive force, while the Tory government is characterized as weak and divided.

4. 4. Verbal Processes:

Verbal processes involve saying or communicating and are used to assert or frame key messages.

Examples:

1. "Listen to some simple pragmatic economics" — "I" (actor) say to the audience to listen (action).
2. "You’re welcome" — "I" (actor) say to the Prime Minister, asserting Labour's influence.
3. "I say to the Prime Minister: 'You’re welcome'" — "I" (actor) asserts something to the Prime Minister.

Justification:

 Verbal processes are used strategically to assert positions and frame ideological messages, as in the assertion of Labour's readiness and critique of the Tories' policies.

5. 5. Behavioral Processes:

Behavioral processes refer to bodily actions or responses, though they are less frequent in political discourse.

Examples:

1. "She risked the sack to join the Shop Workers’ Union" — "She" (actor) is performing the action of risking her job.

Justification: Behavioral processes highlight personal commitment and individual action, as seen in the historical reference to Margaret Bondfield, who exemplifies Labour's focus on working-class activism.

6. 6. Existential Processes:

Existential processes describe the existence or non-existence of something, often using constructions like "there is" or "there are".

Examples:

1. "There’s a coalition of chaos around her own cabinet table" — "There is" (subject) exists a coalition of chaos (complement).
2. "There are no ideas, no energy in the Tory government" — "There are" (subject) no ideas or energy (complement).

Justification:

 Existential processes are used to make broad statements of fact about the current state of the government and Labour’s position relative to the Tory’s incompetence.

Table(4 ) Corbyn Transitivity Process Breakdown in Table Format:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pie Chart (4): Corbyn Proportional Distribution of Transitivity Processes:

10 General Findings:

The analysis of transitivity analysis considering the six processes has shown that the speeches of the four leaders represent the key differences within their rhetorical strategies, reflecting their political ideologies and priorities:

1. 1. Material Processes. These processes were the most dominant ones among the others. They reflect action, change, and political reform.
2. 2. Mental Processes. These processes express beliefs, desires, and opinions. Both Sanders and Farage use them to frame their ideological positions, while Trump and Corbyn go further showing the desires of the public and their visions of what will happen.
3. 3. Relational Processes. These processes are important. They construct identities and defining political positions. Both Farage and Corbyn use them to frame their movements as proactive. For Trump and Sanders, the relational processes focus on defining national identities and social roles.
4. 4. Verbal Processes. These processes are less frequently used. They play a crucial role in asserting authority and framing key political messages.
5. 5. Behavioral Processes focus on bodily actions or responses, highlighting personal engagement and dedication.
6. 6. Existential Processes are used sparingly, mainly for emotional appeal and defining the state of affairs, reflecting the leaders' personal commitment.

11 Differences Between US and UK (Right vs. Left Wing):

1. 1. Right-wing represented by (Trump, Farage): Material processes were the dominant ones., They focus on action and pragmatism, that are related to rebuilding the nation and reclaiming sovereignty. Mental and relational processes are used to define the goals and values, with an emphasis on the nation and public desires.
2. 2. Left-wing represented by (Sanders, Corbyn): Material processes also dominate, but there is a stronger emphasis on social justice and economic reform. The mental processes communicate beliefs and criticism against the existing systems. Relational processes are crucial in defining social structures and class dynamics, framing the discourse around fairness and equality.

Generally speaking, the results of the analysis highlight how political leaders use transitivity processes to construct agency, responsibility, and power in their speeches. Material processes dominate, reflecting a focus on action and change. Mental processes reveal the leaders' ideologies and values, while relational processes define political identities and power dynamics. Verbal, behavioral, and existential processes do not play that important role, at least in this analysis, play a smaller role but are essential for asserting authority and framing societal issues. These findings align with the nature of political rhetoric in both the UK and US, demonstrating how leaders use language to shape political narratives and mobilize their audiences.

12 Conclusion and Recommendations:

1. Conclusion

The transitivity analysis conducted on these four speeches reveals how right-wing and left-wing ideologies construct agency, responsibility, and power via linguistic choices. Right-wing discourse focuses on national identity and action, while left-wing rhetoric emphasizes social justice and reform. Material processes dominate across all speeches, reflecting the emphasis on tangible goals like national rebuilding and addressing crises. Mental processes highlight ideological beliefs, with leaders expressing their followers' desires and values. Relational processes are key for defining political identities, with right-wing leaders emphasizing national sovereignty and left-wing leaders championing societal struggles. Verbal, behavioral, and existential processes are less frequent but still crucial for asserting authority and framing broader societal issues. In conclusion, the reached findings are aligned with the nature of political rhetoric in both the US and the UK.   use language to inspire, mobilize, and define their political stance political narrative. Also, the analysis demonstrates that transitivity is a powerful tool for understanding political discourse, highlighting how leaders shape power, responsibility, and agency through their ideological frameworks. Future research could investigate the role of artificial intelligence in analyzing political language to deepen our understanding of these strategies in influencing public perception and political ideologies.

1. Recommendations:

This study recommends the following for future research:

1. 1. Incorporating a broader data including more leaders taking into consideration the range of political leadership from various cultural and political contexts to deepen understanding of global political discourse.
2. Within the massive development of Using AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP), researchers can enhance transitivity analysis, enabling more precise categorization and handling larger datasets. So, integrating AI tools for discourse analysis will enhance the precision and depth of transitivity studies in political rhetoric.

References 1.Fairclough, N. (2003). Analyzing discourse: Textual analysis for social research. Routledge. 2.Fowler, R. (1991). Language in the news: Discourse and ideology in the press. Routledge. 3.Halliday, M. A. K. (1994). An introduction to functional grammar (2nd ed.). Edward Arnold. 4.Van Dijk, T. A. (2006). Discourse and manipulation. Discourse & Society, 17(3), 359-383. 5.Van Leeuwen, T. (2008). Discourse and practice: new tools for critical discourse analysis. Oxford University Press. 6.Ibrahim, A. L. M. A. (2025). War Trauma and Traumatized Characters in A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. Al-Noor Journal for Humanities, 3(1).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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