US presidential debate language grows simpler and more emotional over decades
Evolution of US Oral Political Language
Computation and LanguageArtificial IntelligenceDigital Libraries
Summary
This study looks at how the way US presidential candidates speak in debates has changed from 1960 to 2024. The authors found that over time, political speech has become simpler, with shorter sentences and fewer complex words. They also saw that speeches have grown more emotional but less logical. The study explores if these changes relate to candidates' success or unique speaking styles.
What this means in practice
- •For political campaign teams: Adjust candidate speech scripts to match trends toward simplicity and emotional appeal found in successful US presidential debates.
- •For media communication strategists: Tailor political interview questions and commentary by understanding shifts in language style and complexity over time.
Authors
Jacques Savoy
Abstract
The analysis of US political language is usually based on the written form (e.g. presidential addresses) or posts broadcasted on various social networks. Oral production, however, which is even more frequent, can better reveal the style and mode of thinking of the speaker. This study covers this mode of linguistic communication by considering 19 candidates from the presidential elections between 1960 to 2024. Our main research objectives are to disclose the main trends hidden in those presidential debates. Do we observe a clear simplification of the US political language over time? Does Trump have poor language compared to the other candidates? Do unusual stylistic features occur only with a single, specific president? Moreover, can we detect a pattern explaining the success or failure of some nominees? Over time, this study demonstrates a significant reduction in political language complexity, a decrease of the mean sentence length, and a noteworthy decline of complex terms. Moreover, the emotional tone increases over the decades, while logical and rational thinking tends to lessen.