The 2022 Australian federal election has come and gone in May this year, so let's look back at some examples of language use by and about politicians on the campaign trail.
We have previously discussed the use of nicknames in Australian politics, and particularly the use of 'Scomo' and 'Albo', which were heavily used in the media during this election.
Right: The Herald Sun newspaper uses shortenings 'Scomo' and 'Albo', along with the initialism 'PM' for Prime Minister.
But let's look at some new examples:
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We'll start with some election slogans, and focus in particular on the use of phonological patterning.
One of Scott Morrison's catch phrases for the election was 'can-do capitalism', an example of alliteration. The positive connotations of the compound 'can-do' aim to portray him as a capable and trust-worthy leader.
The Liberal party also made use of rhyme with an attack campaign against Labor leader (and now Prime Minister) Anthony Albanese, featuring the slogan: It won't be easy under Albanese.
Phonological patterning is commonly used in politics and advertising, as it is memorable and clever. In this case it is not difficult to work out the purpose behind this use of language; Scott Morrison was aiming to present himself to voters in a positive light, and dissuade them from voting for Albanese.
While we're on the topic of phonological patterning, let's not forget the great Aussie election tradition - the 'democracy sausage.' This Australian slang term refers to the sausages in bread distributed at polling locations on election day, and is an example of assonance. The vowel sound /ɒ/ found in the middle of each word is repeated, making the phrase a catchy (and tasty) election example.
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Informal language also featured in the Australian election, with both ScoMo and Albo hoping to portray a public image of being likeable and relatable.
During 'Question Time' or 'QT' (the meeting of parliament members) in November 2021, Anthony Albanese used the colloquial imperative 'Sit down, boofhead!' in reference to Liberal politician Peter Dutton. The somewhat old-fashioned Aussie slang insult led to memes which were used during the election campaign by Labor supporters.
This demonstrates how informal language can be a powerful linguistic tool in politics due to its ability to connect with everyday voters.
Not to be outdone, in May 2022, Scott Morrison called Albanese a 'loose unit' on the economy. This was an attempt to connect with younger voters by employing slang which might be more effective in communicating an economic message (potentially boring to youngsters!)
However, Morrison intended the term to be negative, despite the fact that it is often meant in a playful sense.
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Finally, it wouldn't be an election campaign without some controversy, or 'gaffes' as the political media like to call them.
During one of the election debates in May 2022, Scott Morrison made the mistake of saying that he was 'blessed' not to have children with a disability.
Many people saw the use of this particular adjective as poor lexical choice, as he was criticised for the implication that disabled children were an unfortunate burden on their parents. This was seen as not respecting the face needs of Australians with a disability.
Many well-known public figures commented on ScoMo's slip-up, including Aussie wheelchair tennis champion and Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott. The Labor Party, of course, was quick to criticise Scomo's choice of words, and Morrison subsequently apologised, insisting no harm was intended.
This example also ties into our study of politically correct language, showing how language can be labelled discriminatory and offensive, even when the speaker has the best of intentions.
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