A Pragmatic Study of Political Tweets: The Tweets of P.M. of Israel in the War Against Gaza as a Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.10.2.P1.24Abstract
This study conducted to explore the real uses of speech acts on chosen posts in the X platform in English by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Gaza war (20232025). With reference to the speech act theories of Kalper (2011) and Searle (1969, 1975), and the latest developments of digital pragmatism, the research examines how posts by Netanyahu can be seen as an assertion, declaration, and direction, expression, and commitment but at the same time the establishment of political legitimacy and the shaping of public opinion. Between January 31, 2024, and October 7, 2023, an empirical dataset of English-language posts by Netanyahu was sampled between October 7, 2023, and January 31, 2024, at the beginning and end of the 20232025 timeframe respectively, and enriched with important posts by Netanyahu. The posts were divided into the main and secondary type of speech act (assertion, instruction, command, expression, and declaration).
In the results, one can see that the statements made by Netanyahu throughout the war were dominated by statements and declarations that immediately followed October 7, including the phrase We are at war, which is a declaration and assertion at the same time. The use of directives (e.g., Leave now) and promises (e.g., We will bring our hostages home) became more common over time and compared to the communicative needs, which changed: the crisis response was replaced by the need to justify and reassure. This paper has found that the application of the S by Netanyahu is indicative of how digital platforms re-orient the force of discourse and into performative acts of governance. With the contribution of a reproducible analytical framework, this study will make its contribution to the disciplines of digital pragmatism, political communication, and the analysis of war discourse in the cyberspace.
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