AN ANALYSIS OF THE SYNTACTICAL PARALLEL STRUCTURE AND THE FLOUTING OF THE PARALLEL STRUCTURE IN THE U.S. PRESIDENTS’ INAUGURAL SPEECHES

Abstract

This research study aims to analyze the syntactical parallel structure and the flouting of the parallel structure in 12 most searched inaugural speeches of the U.S. presidents. The results reveal that although the use of the unmarked parallel structure is found at a much higher frequency than the use of the marked parallel structure (78.64%: 21.36%), the use of the marked parallel structure is neither infrequent nor inconsequential. The most frequently used feature of the unmarked parallel structure is “two words, phrases and clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions” whereas the least frequently used feature of the unmarked parallel structure is “elements joined by correlative conjunctions “either… or”, “neither…nor”, “both…and”, “not only…but also”. On the other hand, the most frequently used feature of the marked parallel structure is “no coordinating conjunction between constituents” and the least frequently used feature of the marked parallel structure is “incomplete conjunction”. Furthermore, the reasons for flouting the parallel structure are for emphasis (63.99%), elaboration (26.22%), evaluation (9.44%), and exaggeration (0.35%) respectively. These findings implicate that the knowledge of the use and the purposes of the marked parallel structure could facilitate the learning and understanding of the English language as used in real communication by English native speakers, in these cases by national leaders.

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