FELIPE VI’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGES: A PRAGMATIC ASPECT
Introduction. The article deals with the communicative strategies and tactics of linguistic manipulation used in the six Christmas messages issued by the Spanish King Felipe VI from 2014 to 2019. Material and methods. The analysis of Felipe VI’s Christmas messages, published on the official website of the Royal House, was based on general scientific methods (description, observation, generalization, and systematization) as well as linguistic analysis methods (linguistic interpretation, content analysis, discursive analysis). Results and discussion. This article describes some features of Felipe VI’s Christmas messages (from 2014 to 2019), taking into account the current political situation of Spain. These texts are considered a ritual genre of institutional discourse and are analyzed in the context of political rhetoric. The paper is aimed to highlight how the messages are used with an ideological purpose to strengthen the image of the monarchy and to convince people of the necessity for peaceful coexistence, respect for the law, and national pride. The article also focuses on the images of the past, the present, the addressee (Spanish society) and the country. The scientific value of this paper is in describing the most popular communicative strategies and tactics of linguistic manipulation used by the Spanish King. Conclusion. The monarch’s Christmas messages can be considered a typical example of ceremonial eloquence in which the Head of State acts as a significant public figure, not only interpreting facts and events in order to preserve the unity of the nation and stability of the country, but also discussing moral issues based on universal values. It was revealed that Felipe VI tends to use a set of communicative strategies and tactics in order to underline the importance of peaceful coexistence in Spain and to emphasize his role as the only guarantor of stability, unity, prosperity and social justice.