The System of Non-Canonical Antonym Pairs in English Presidential Speeches and Proverbs (Non-Canonical Antonyms as Powerful Rhetorical Instruments)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23862352
Abstract
This article examines the structural, semantic, and pragmatic functions of non-canonical antonym pairs in English-language political discourse and traditional English proverbs. Unlike canonical antonyms, whose opposition is conventionalized in the lexicon, non-canonical pairs acquire contrastive force through context, rhetorical organization, and communicative intention. The study considers presidential addresses by John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, Theodore Roosevelt, and Jimmy Carter, alongside proverbs such as “Haste makes waste” and “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Using contextual-semantic, discourse-pragmatic, and comparative analysis, it explores how speakers construct temporary oppositions to frame political choices, encourage action, and shape collective identity. In proverbs, comparable contrasts compress social experience into memorable moral statements. The analysis suggests that antonymic opposition is not limited to dictionary-listed pairs: words from different semantic fields can function as contextual opposites when a discourse establishes a meaningful contrast. The article highlights the rhetorical flexibility of non-canonical antonymy across political and proverbial genres.
Keywords:
Non-canonical antonyms contextual antonyms political discourse presidential speech proverbs semantic polarity rhetorical contrastReferences
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