The Language of Political Slogans in 2016 Slovak Parliamentary Elections

The Language o Poli ical Slogans in 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y Elec ions Ruslan Saduo ABSTRACT: This esea ch ocuses on he in es iga ion o poli ical slogans p oduced du ing he 2016 Slo ak Pa - liamen a y Elec ions. Slogans we e collec ed om s ee ad e isemen s, such as billboa ds and pos e s, in he own o Banská Bys ica, Slo akia. The pool o slogans was p ocessed h ough se e al linguis ic me hods, such as seman ic, mo phemic, s ylis ic, and axiological analyses, which helped o e eal he linguis ic design o poli ical slogans on he one hand, and some o he ea u es o e- gional poli ical en i onmen on he o he . In e ms o hei seman ic con en , he la ges sha e o slogans con ains ap omise o c ea e mo e jobs and imp o e social wel a e. Theaxiological ec o o slogans aims a pa io ism, hones y, and jus ice, whe eas poli ics is dismissed as some hing p ima - ily ha m ul. G amma ically, mos slogans employ 1s pe son plu al (e.g. we do sm h, le ’s do sm h) as hei p edominan choice o e b o m, which signals ha he candida es in he elec ion end o speak as ag oup and inspi e people o join in ace ain ac i i y a he han add ess he elec o a e h ough mo e di ec e b o ms (1s pe son singula ). Conduc ed synch onically on asmall scale, his esea ch p esen s alocal pe spec i e on he elec ions in ques ion. I conduc ed on acon inuous basis in se e al Slo ak egions, howe e , his in es iga ion may se e as asensi i e indica o o any changes in he social and poli ical en i onmen na ion-wide. KEYWORDS: Linguis ic analysis, poli ical discou se, slogan, Slo akia, alues 1. INTRODUCTION On Ma ch 5, 2016, he people o he Slo ak Republic o ed o elec he membe s o hei na ional Pa liamen . Acco ding o he Minis y o In e io (Minis e s o nú a Slo enskej Republiky)1, ep esen a i es o 24 pa ies compe ed agains each o he o be elec ed in o he 150 sea s in he Pa liamen . The campaign was widely co e ed by he local media, on social ne wo ks, as well as in he s ee s h ough he use o pos - e s and billboa ds. The pa liamen a y elec ion is amomen o pa icula impo ance o aci ilized so- cie y, because people a e b ough o hink abou hei u u e and he ou come o he choices hey make. No only is i ap omise o u u e de elopmen , bu also a e e ence o he poli ical backg ound and a e lec ion o he cu en si ua ion. The p e-elec ion pe iod is a ime o people and ins i u ions o speak up and oice hei conce ns, as well as being a ime o shaping he ideas abou long- e m na ional de elopmen . This ou - s anding ci ic momen in p esen -day Slo akia was he mo i a ion o his esea ch. 1 Re ie ed om he o icial web-si e o he Minis y o In e io (Minis e s o nú a Slo en- skej Republiky) a h p://www.min .sk/?n 16_kandida i1. OPEN ACCESS 8 STUDIE ZAPLIKOVANÉ LINGVISTIKY 2/2018 This pape concen a es on he e bal means o poli ical p omo ion (slogans) h ough s ee ad e isemen (pos e s, billboa ds) wi h an e o o p esen alocal appeal o poli ical campaigning wi hin he na ional elec ions. The ma e ial o he esea ch was collec ed om he s ee s o Banská Bys ica, a own in he cen e o Slo akia. Hence, he aim o his esea ch is o analyze he language o he slogans p oduced by he candida es o 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y Elec ions and used on he ou doo ad e isemen s, such as billboa ds and pos e s, in he own o Banská Bys ica, Slo akia. Slogans we e chosen o his esea ch because hey a e po en ially sensi i e in- dica o s o poli ical en i onmen s. The e a e se e al easons why hey e lec wha poli icians and people hink abou he cu en social and poli ical needs. Fi s o all, pa ies and hei ep esen a i es a e suppo ed by apa icula po ion o he popu- la ion. O he wise i is impossible o apa y o poli ician o exis . Hence, he p o- duced slogans esona e wi h he audience. Secondly, aheal hy po ion o candida es in he 2016 elec ions we e no p o essional poli icians. Thi dly, in o de o win as many o es as possible, poli ical pa ies and hei ep esen a i es y o suppo he mos popula ideas and mee he mos p essing demands o he popula ion. We may he e o e belie e in ace ain co ela ion be ween he poli ical milieu and he slogans used o elec ion campaigning. Based on his p emise, we p oceed wi h he esea ch, awa e o he said connec ion. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW The analysis o slogans is an impo an pa o unde s anding na ional policies, as well as social and cul u al de elopmen ends. Acco ding o Me iam-Webs e Dic- iona y, he wo d “slogan” means “awo d o ph ase ha is easy o emembe and is used by ag oup o business o a ac a en ion”2. His o ically, i s ems om he ime o clan wa s in Sco land, whe e slogans we e used as “wa c ies”3 as well as he aldic mo os. Indeed, he e is no hing new abou slogans: “Slogans can be ound in sac ed ex s such as he Bible and he Qu an as ameans o mo al pe suasion; hey a e used as apowe ul means o dissemina ing p opaganda du ing imes o wa ” (Xing, 1999, p.492). In he long his o y o slogans, hey ha e been used o pe suasion and he p omo- ion o ideas and ideologies. A he same ime, slogans no only pe suade, bu also e- lec he cu en social conce ns and “ha e adi ec link o social o indi idual ac ion” (E i, 2013, p.700). They ha e he powe o “uni e, di ide, and e en con e people” (ibid). Slogans can in o m abou he cul u al and his o ical backg ound o he na- ions in ques ion. In Media and In o ma ion: he Case o I an, Genei e Abdo e lec s on 2 Re ie ed om Me iam-Webs e Dic iona y a h p://www.me iam-webs e .com/dic- iona y/slogan. 3 Re ie ed om The Concise Ox o d Dic iona y o English E ymology a h p://www.ox o - d e e ence.com/ iew/10.1093/ac e /9780192830982.001.0001/ac e -9780192830982-e- 14077? skey=Q8xAN9& esul =5 OPEN ACCESS RUSLAN SADUOV 9 he social pe cep ion o he slogans p oduced by Mohammad Kha ami in 1997 and on how hey esona ed wi h he na ion: “The slogans and hemes ha eme ged om he Kha ami elec ion campaign— and came o domina e his p esidency— e lec ed many yea s o disc ee discussion in eading ci cles, on he boa ds o small special y jou nals, and in he halls o he eligious semina ies” (Abdo, 2003, p.877). This is an example o aapoli ical leade unco e ing he discussions ac oss he na ion and am- ing hem in he simple wo ds o his slogans. Slogans can also e lec he his o ical de elopmen o he whole na ion. In E i Gazi’s ‘Fa he land, Religion, Family’: Explo ing he His o y o aSlogan in G eece, 1880–1930, slogans a e labeled as “social symbols” (2013, p.700). The au ho explo es one o he mos in luen ial and well-known slogans o con empo a y G eece “Fa he - land, Religion, Family,” i s connec ion wi h he popula sayings and ca chwo ds o he 19 h Cen u y, as well as i s e olu ion in he 20 h Cen u y. He poin s ou ha slogans a e “o pa icula impo ance o adeepe unde s anding o he poli ics and cul u e o pa icula epochs and con ex s” (ibid, p.700). This opinion is sha ed by James S.Guseh in Slogans and mo os on comme cial ehicles: a e lec ion o Libe ian philosophy and cul u e. He in es iga es slogans on comme cial ehicles and claims ha hey a e “an impo an sou ce o in o ma ion and educa ion on Libe ian philosophy, cul u e, and his o y” (2008, p.159). Mo eo e , he au ho sugges s ha he go e nmen could use his esou ce o change social ends. Nowadays, he Libe ian go e nmen is us- ing billboa ds o his pu pose, some o which ead Rape is ac ime. S op ape, S op iolence agains women e c. Thus, James S.Guseh belie es ha no only does he slogan e lec a i udes, bu i also has he po en ial o make ace ain impac . In asimila s udy, Ola unde Bayo Lawuyi (1988) in e p e s slogans on mo o ehicles in sou h- wes e n Nige ia as ameans o social in e ac ion and asign o social s a i ica ion. Resea ch ca ied ou by El Mus apha Lahlali shows how poli ical slogans e lec d ama ic social change in Egyp o e a e y sho pe iod o ime om Janua y o Ma ch 2011. Wi hin jus se e al mon hs, local poli ical discou se had “shi ed om adiscou se o comple e allegiance o he egime in o adiscou se o o al de iance and accoun abili y; om adiscou se o ‘long li e si ’ o ‘down wi h he dic a o ’” (Lah- lali, 2014, p.1). I is e en mo e aluable ha hese slogans egis e ace ain cul u al change. In he A ab wo ld, people a e used o he discou se o poli eness and espec o supe io s. The social change in 2011 led o ahos ile a i ude, which is clea ly dem- ons a ed h ough slogans labeling he P esiden a“ y an ,” “ hie ,” “co up ” and so on (ibid, p.5). In ano he la ge-scale s udy, he au ho looks in o how poli ical slogans ha e changed he cul u al en i onmen in China. The esea che claims ha poli ical slo- gans in Communis China helped o ans o m Chinese ideology om Con ucianism o Maoism and o Deng Xiaoping’s p agma ism, which “al e ed he ace o Chinese cul u e and a ec ed he Chinese hough pa e n” (Xing, 1999, p.487). The analysis o poli ical slogans in a ep esen a i e jou nal, Red Flag, p o ides anumbe o illus a- i e examples on how he impac o hese ca chph ases became p ominen in China. In his espec , i is ha d o disag ee ha “o de -wo ds o slogans do no simply e- p esen o e-p oduce he social-poli ical wo ld, hey can also unc ion o eshape i and econs i u e i in an exp essly ma e ial way” (Po e , 2010, p.233). OPEN ACCESS 10 STUDIE ZAPLIKOVANÉ LINGVISTIKY 2/2018 Slogans a e o en in es iga ed in connec ion wi h co po a e ad e isemen . In- deed, some esea che s de ine slogans p ima ily as ameans o business de elopmen . Geo ey Leech (1966) e e ed o aslogan as asho , laconic ph ase ha acompany uses o e and o e in i s ad e isemen , which migh be use ul o ein o ce he p od- uc iden i y. I is usually ca chy and p e y s aigh o wa d, as well as holding “an essen ial connec ion wi h i s ad e ising p oduc ” (Baidullaye a, 2015, p.270). Resea che s poin ou aclose p oximi y be ween he slogans o ad e ising pu - poses and o poli ical gains. Acco ding o Ayo Ojebode and Wole Oladapo, “slogan- ee ing is as common in comme cial ac i i ies as i is in poli ics” (2014, p.42). Poli ical candida es ely on slogans o p omo e hemsel es. Howe e , slogans in poli ics a e a om being me e ma ke ing ools. Colbe g a gues ha “ he slogan becomes i al o he poli ician because i is his o he belie s, pla o m, and legacy” (2012, p.311). Aslogan summa izes he p og am o apoli ician in one ca chy wo d o ph ase and e ec i ely communica es i o he gene al public. We may conclude hen, ha he e ec i eness o slogans p o ided o hei long jou ney h ough his o y om he Cel ic ba le ield in o he oday’s ad e isemen s, TV-shows, and poli ical campaigns. In he wo ds o Geo ge W.Ball, “someone is al- ways de ising aslogan o apho ism o dispose o an idea ha is oo complex o acile solu ion” (1969, p.623). Indeed, aslogan is also away o simpli ying acomplex idea. Howe e , no ma e how simpli ied his idea migh be, he o e all impac o aslogan canno be unde es ima ed. 3. METHODOLOGY AND MATERIAL The ma e ial o his esea ch comp ises he poli ical slogans om he 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y elec ion campaign as ound on billboa ds and pos e s in he s ee s o Banská Bys ica, a own in cen al Slo akia. The main c i e ion o he selec ion was, he e o e, he speci ic loca ion, which was chosen as a ep esen a i e Slo ak egion. Because o he local cha ac e o he esea ch, he sample was limi ed o 37 examples and could no be complemen ed by any o he uni s which migh ha e been ound in o he pa s o he coun y. The 37 examples collec ed in Banská Bys ica we e p o- duced by 17 pa ies ou o he 24 who we e compe ing o pa liamen a y sea s. Fully awa e o he ac ha we a e analyzing only apo ion all he poli ical slogans used in he elec ions na ionwide, we ocus on he local appeal o he campaign and do no ex- apola e he esul s o his in es iga ion o he coun y as awhole. The slogans we e eco ded om s ee ad e isemen s (billboa ds and pos e s) because o he g ea e impac o such o ms o poli ical p omo ion in compa ison o o he ypes o poli ical ex s. Acco ding o he Ou doo Ad e ising Associa ion o Ame ica, Inc in (Bulle ins, 2015), billboa ds a e among he mos powe ul o ms o ad e isemen . Besides, because o he limi ed space on s ee ad e isemen , he choice o he ex s (slogans) encapsula es he e o o make he message concise on he one hand and meaning ul on he o he . Bo h conside a ions make he slogans on s ee s ad e isemen s he mos isible and he mos ep esen a i e ones o he espec i e poli ical associa ions. OPEN ACCESS RUSLAN SADUOV 11 Two o he collec ed i ems ep esen blocks o iden ical slogans, e.g. SOM ZMENA p e Bys icu (IAM ACHANGE o Bys ica), SOM ZMENA p e podnika eľo (IAM ACHANGE o en ep eneu s), SOM ZMENA p e mladé odiny (IAM ACHANGE o young amilies), e c. Thus, in e ms o s uc u e, i is one and he same slogan. In e ms o hei seman ic componen s, howe e , hey a e all di e en , because he second pa con ains di e en lexical uni s, p omo es di e en alues, and gi es di - e en p omises. Fo his eason, he s uc u al analysis will conside hese uni s as iden ical, whe eas in sec ions dealing wi h axiological and seman ic componen s, hey will be conside ed sepa a ely. The collec ed pool o slogans has been subjec ed o aseman ic analysis in o de o e eal he slogans’ meanings based on he dic iona y as well as he con ex ual o modi ied (e.g. me apho ical) meanings o hei componen s. Amo phemic analysis o he wo d o ms in he slogans ga e us an idea o he ypical mo phemic (wo d o m) pa e ns used in he slogans. The axiological analysis was based on an es ima ion o he alues p omo ed h ough he lexical componen s in slogans. The s ylis ic analysis aimed o demons a e he s ylis ic de ices used in he slogans as well as he implica- ions o such usages. I is ob ious ha om alinguis ic poin o iew slogans can be analyzed using o he me hods as well, howe e , we s i ed o desc ibe he selec ed pool o slogans wi h he me hods mos ele an o he esea ch ques ions below. Thus, his esea ch was designed wi h he aim o use he linguis ic analysis o poli ical slogans in o de o unco e on alocal scale some o he ea u es o he po- li ical en i onmen in Slo akia be o e he 2016 Pa liamen a y elec ions. A he same ime, howe e , i was an oppo uni y o ind ou he mos common linguis ic means used by he candida es when c ea ing hei slogans in he selec ed egion (Banská Bys ica). I should be s essed ha he esea ch does no in end o p o ide any e alu- a ions o pa icula poli ical pa ies. Ins ead, i demons a es he use o language in poli ical slogans indisc imina ely, ega dless o which poli ical associa ion employs i , because he linguis ic means o slogan p oduc ion do no co ela e wi h he ideol- ogy in he slogans. The e o e, he pape has wo esea ch ques ions: Resea ch ques ion 1: Wha a e he ypical linguis ic means used in poli ical slo- gans aken om he s ee ad e isemen s in Banská Bys ica du ing he 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y elec ions? Resea ch ques ion 2: Wha do hese poli ical slogans con ey abou he poli ical en i onmen in Banská Bys ica in he pe iod p io o he 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y elec ions? P ocedu ally, he esea ch was limi ed o he in es iga ion o only ou majo p ope ies o he slogans, which we conside ed he mos ele an o he esea ch ques ions. These p ope ies a e deal wi h in he ou subdi isions in he Resul s sec- ion o his pape . The sec ion Axiological componen o slogans unco e s which o he alues coded in he slogans u ned ou o be mo e impo an han he o he s. P omises and oes deals wi h he p omises made by he slogan c ea o s as well as he an i- alues denied in he slogans. Ve b o ms and hei unc ion in slogans discusses how he e b o ms used in slogans in luence he meaning and unc ion o he whole slogan. S ylis- ic de ices in he slogans is he inal subsec ion, which con ains an analysis o how s y- lis ic de ices help o modi y o b ing o wa d ce ain meanings coded in he slogans. OPEN ACCESS 12 STUDIE ZAPLIKOVANÉ LINGVISTIKY 2/2018 4. RESULTS 4.1. AXIOLOGICAL COMPONENT OF SLOGANS The analyzed poli ical slogans unco e ce ain alues which hei c ea o s claim o s and o . Values in his con ex a e unde s ood as gene alized aims and means o a - aining hem, which se e as undamen al no ms and ideal a ainmen s (Se eb en- niko a, 2011). Acco ding o Pa lo (2011), alues eme ge a ound he undamen al needs and cul u al ul illmen s o human na u e— eligious, e hical, social-poli ical (ideo- logical), in ellec ual, aes he ic emo ional, physiological e c. No doub , e e ences o el- e an alues a e an e ec i e way o poli ical p omo ion, because hese alues a e sup- posed o e lec he needs and aspi a ions o he people whose suppo he candida e seeks. I is, he e o e, impo an o know which o he alues we e chosen o be inco - po a ed in o he slogans in o de o see which ones a e conside ed he mos impo an . S a is ically, one o he op alues coded in he slogans is pa io ism owa ds Slo- akia. This alue is ound in six ou o 37 slogans, including he ollowing: (1) Ch anime Slo ensko— We p o ec Slo akia (Sme ) (2) Slo ensko bude silný š á !— Slo akia will be as ong coun y! (SNS) The gi en examples demons a e ha o he c ea o s o hese slogans, Slo akia is he highes alue o be p ese ed and s eng hened. This a i ude is mani es ed wi h he use o s aigh o wa d linguis ic ma ke s. Hones y and jus ice a e also popula alues, which, acco ding o Slo ak poli i- cians, can be a ac i e o he gene al public: (3) Mojím cieľom je sp a odli é Slo ensko— My aim is ajus Slo akia (SAS) (4) Spojme sa p o i ko upcii!— Le ’s uni e agains co up ion! (TIP) (5) Môže e mi e iť. Nie som poli ik— You can us me. I’m no apoli ician (SME Rodina) The i s example abo e s a es in a e y explici manne ha he aim o he poli ician is o es ablish jus ice in Slo akia. The second one, being less explici , does no e e o jus ice pe se, bu ins ead add esses some hing ha is comple ely dishones (co up- ion) and denies his (an i-) alue. The las example o he h ee also wo ks h ough opposi e ela ions. Aheal hy po ion o Slo ak discou se is based on he assump ion ha poli icians a e co up and dishones . Con as ing onesel wi h such poli icians is supposed o p oduce aposi i e p omo ional e ec , a ained h ough he opposi ion o alues and an i- alues. On he whole, eigh ou o 37 slogans pu hones y and jus- ice on op o hei lis o alues. People as a alue pe se a e men ioned in h ee slogans. In he i s example below, he slogan implies ha he candida e behind i wo ks o people, whe eas he o he OPEN ACCESS RUSLAN SADUOV 13 example is mo e s aigh o wa d— he candida e chooses people as hei majo as- se and aim: (6) Robíme p e ľudí— (We) wo k o ( he) people (Sme ) (7) Volím lúdí. A y?— I o e o people. Wha abou you? (Obyčajní ľudia ane- zá islé osobnos i) Equali y was also used as one o he alues in he campaign, e en hough i was e y implici and wen hand-in-hand wi h o he alues, such as socialism and high li ing s anda ds: (8) Kapi alizmus slúži y oleným, socializmus še kým— Capi alism se es he ew chosen ones, socialism se es e e ybody (Komunis ická s ana Slo enska) (9) K ali ný ži o p e mladych aj s a ých už dnes— Quali y li e o he young and he old s a ing om oday (S ana mode ného Slo enska) (10) Lepší ži o p e še kých— Abe e li e o e e ybody (S ana mode ného Slo enska) In he i s example abo e, equali y is no men ioned, bu implied h ough he se - ice o socialism o e e ybody (socializmus slúži še kým). Equali y he e is linked o socialism as i s p e equisi e. In he second example, equali y is mani es ed h ough he p omise o p o ide high li ing s anda ds o he young and he old (p e mladych aj s a ých). The nex example is e y simila , bu equali y in his case is mani es ed h ough lexeme “e e ybody” (p e še kých). The leas popula alues include house, amily, decisi eness (all o hem a e men- ioned in wo slogans each), as well as o de , cou age, hope, and willingness o help he weake ones (men ioned only once each): (11) Bezpečný domo // Spokojné odiny— Sa e home // Happy amilies (KDH) (12) Te az je čas ozhodnúť— Now is he ime o make adecision (Mos -Híd) (13) Nádej p ichádza sod ahou— Hope comes wi h cou age (Od aha O2H) The i s example simply s a es he alues which i s c ea o deems impo an — amily and household. Bo h o hem con ain he a ibu es o sa e y and happiness, bo h o hem a e p omised p o ec ion. I is wo h men ioning ha his slogan can be in e p e ed as me apho ic in i s meaning, because o he impo ance a ibu ed o he no ions o “home” and “ amily” in Sla ic cul u es. Bo h can ep esen no only he ac ual objec s and peo- ple, bu also homeland in gene al. In his espec , he slogan p omises much mo e han he me e p o ec ion o ahome and amily membe s, bu also p o ec ion o he na ion’s inhabi an s. Thus, i in e p e ed me apho ically, i can be conside ed e y pa io ic. OPEN ACCESS 14 STUDIE ZAPLIKOVANÉ LINGVISTIKY 2/2018 Decisi eness is highligh ed as a alue in he second example h ough he e b “ ozhodnúť” (make adecision). Hope and cou age a e men ioned in he las example, whe eby cou age is pu as ap e equisi e o hope, and bo h o hem being e y emo- ionally-cha ged. 4.2. PROMISES AND FOES I is e y na u al ha slogans no only p omo e alues which he candida es s and o , bu also make ce ain p omises. Seman ic analysis enables us o single ou se e al majo p omises made h ough he slogans. Some candida es elied on wo k as he highes demand, namely i e ou o 37 ex- amples con ain his elemen , o ins ance: (14) U obme si dob ý š á . Te az!— Le ’s make ou sel es agood s a e. Now! (Sieť) (15) Makáme! // Za p aco né mies a // nie leky poli ike— We wo k. We igh o jobs, no places ( o ou sel es) in poli ics. (SKOK) Wi h unemploymen a e being ase ious issue in Slo akia, anumbe o candida es pu wo k, wo k o ce, and employmen on op o hei lis o p omises. The i s example con ains lexeme “ obiť” which is adi ec e e ence o employmen . The nex example is ully ela ed o wo k. Fi s ly, “makáme” is colloquial o “we wo k” implying ha he candida es behind he slogan a e ha d-wo king people. Secondly, he men ioning o “p aco né mies a” (wo k places, jobs) is a e e ence o high unemploymen a e in Slo- akia and an a emp o posi ion hemsel es as he candida es who will do hei bes o open up mo e jobs. Thi dly, “ leky” is acolloquial wo d o “wo ke s, wo k places, jobs,” hough in his con ex , i is used o deny any connec ion o o icial poli ics. En ep eneu ship is no less se ious as an issue, acco ding o he candida es. Fou o he slogans use p omises ela ed o en ep eneu ship. The examples below con ain he lexemes “podnikať” (unde ake), “podnikanie” (en ep eneu ship), “podnika eľ” (en ep eneu ) and indica e he alue o en ep eneu ship. Mo eo e , in he i s example, wo k is linked o homeland— you can ha dly be apa io unless you can li e, wo k and do business in you own coun y. In he second example, he p omise o en ep eneu ship is associa ed wi h ai ness— no only will you ha e an oppo - uni y o wo k, bu also o expec ai a i ude. The hi d example p omises aposi i e change o en ep eneu s: (16) P ip a ení na e o my aby sa doma opla ilo p aco ať, podnikať ažiť— We a e p epa ed o e o ms o make i wo h wo king, ha ing business, and li ing in he homeland (SAS) (17) Mojím cieľom je é o é podnikanie— My aim is ai en ep eneu ship (SAS) (18) SOM ZMENA p e podnika eľo — I ep esen change o en ep eneu s (SDKÚ-DS) OPEN ACCESS RUSLAN SADUOV 15 Fou slogans ou o 37 con ain ap omise o make Slo akia as ong, powe ul, and suc- cess ul s a e. I is no acoincidence ha such p omises exis , because he candida es a e compe ing o he highes o ices in he coun y, and hey a e expec ed o ake ca e o he coun y, o ins ance: (19) Ch anime Slo ensko— We p o ec Slo akia (Sme ) (20) Slo ensko bude silný š á !— Slo akia will be as ong coun y! (SNS) In eigh examples, he candida es p omise a ious imp o emen s, such as be e heal hca e and highe li ing s anda ds, be e condi ions o young amilies, lowe axes. Again, i is e y na u al o see such p omises in poli ical slogans. I does, how- e e , demons a e ha hese issues a e conside ed se ious in Slo akia: (21) SOM ZMENA p e mladé odiny— I ep esen change o young amilies (SDKÚ-DS) (22) Mojím cieľom je daň 15%— My aim is 15% ax (SAS) (23) SOM ZMENA sme u zd a o níc a— I ep esen change o heal hca e (SDKÚ-DS) (24) K ali ný ži o p e mladych aj s a ých už dnes— Quali y li e o he young and he old s a ing om oday (S ana mode ného Slo enska) Se e al candida es claimed ha hey would b ing imp o emen s o pa icula egions o he coun y ( h ee examples). Ob iously, hese candida es hoped o ind suppo in he espec i e egions o he coun y. The second example below is pa icula ly in e - es ing because i add esses aspeci ic issue in aspeci ic egion o he coun y. I im- plies ha his issue can be se ious o he people who li e he e: (25) SOM ZMENA p e Bys icu— I ep esen change o Bys icá (SDKÚ-DS) (26) Zach áňme pi nú odu na ži nom os o e— Le ’s sa e d inking wa e on Rye Island (KDH) Some slogans, howe e , do no con ain any p omises— ins ead, hey a e based on he opposi ion. Hegelian dialec ics sugges ha i he e is a hesis, someone has o p opose an an i hesis. In eal-wo ld e ms, i means ha p og ess is possible only h ough he con on a ion o ideas. The elec ion campaign is usually ape iod o ime when an i heses come o h in he o m o opposing poli ical o ces and ideas, which a e also e lec ed in he slogans. Mo eo e , no only he ideas, bu also alues, an i- alues, ac ions, and e en speci ic people can be con es ed. Dialec ics is also desc ibed in e ms o he uni e sal “F iend s Foe” opposi ion. By “ iend” hey usually unde s and he na ion i sel o apa icula g oup, which ca ies OPEN ACCESS 22 STUDIE ZAPLIKOVANÉ LINGVISTIKY 2/2018 con ex , hough, he e a e ways o make he esul s o his a icle mo e de ailed and a - eaching. The i s limi a ion eme ged due o he cons ain s o he esea ch ma e ial. I was decided ha he esea ch should concen a e on he slogans p oduced du ing he 2016 Slo ak Pa liamen a y elec ion campaign and p esen ed h ough s ee ad- e isemen . O he poli ical ex s, such as p og ams, public s a emen s, websi es, e c we e in en ionally le ou o ou scope o esea ch. E en hough his decision helped o zoom in on he ma e ial in ques ion, i pu all he o he means o poli ical p omo- ion ou o he limeligh . I is only na u al o assume ha u he in es iga ion o poli ical ex s ela ed o he campaign will complemen he cu en esea ch and add aluable in o ma ion. The second limi a ion s ems om he ac ha he ma e ial is only a egional sam- ple, namely om he own o Banská Bys ica. This egion was selec ed due o i s cen- al loca ion in Slo akia. Howe e , awa e o he ela i e inhomogenei y o Slo akia, we canno use he esul s ob ained on his e i o y o make in e ences abou o he Slo ak egions o he coun y as awhole. Thus, i we wan ed o somehow gene alize he esul s, simila esea ch would ha e o be ca ied ou in he o he egions as well. The hi d limi a ion is also connec ed wi h he esea ch objec i e, bu also wi h one o he aspec s o he ma e ial i sel . The a icle analyzes he slogans collec ed om billboa ds and pos e s. Howe e , i concen a es only on he e bal con en o he slogans and lea es ou he ex alinguis ic ea u es o billboa ds and pos e s. Fo ins ance, 11 billboa ds clea ly use he colo s o he na ional Slo ak lag in o de o em- phasize he pa io ic mindse o he candida e. The o he ones use colo s associa ed wi h ce ain poli ical pa ies. Conside a ions o his kind we e in en ionally a oided in o de o concen a e on he language o slogans. I is beyond doub , howe e , ha ap ope ex alinguis ic analysis o he same ma e ial (colo , design, a angemen o elemen s) as well as he in es iga ion o he connec ion be ween he linguis ic and ex alinguis ic elemen s would en ich he esea ch and ou cu en unde s anding o how he di e en means o poli ical p omo ion unc ion. Finally, he gi en esea ch is asynch onic analysis o he cu en poli ical en i- onmen in one o he Slo ak egions. Mo e comp ehensi e esul s can be ob ained by ca ying ou he analysis con inuously and acking any no iceable changes o e he cou se o ime. ABBREVIATIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES Sme (Sme –sociálna demok acia): Di ec ion— Social Democ acy SNS (Slo enská ná odná s ana): Slo ak na ional pa y SAS (S ana Sloboda aSolida i a): F eedom and Solida i y TIP (T o íme Inú Poli iku): We c ea e di e en poli ics SME Rodina: We A e Family Obyčajní ľudia anezá islé osobnos i: O dina y People and Independen Pe sonali ies Komunis ická s ana Slo enska: Slo ak Communis pa y S ana mode ného Slo enska: Mode n Slo akia pa y OPEN ACCESS RUSLAN SADUOV 23 KDH: Ch is ian Democ a ic Mo emen Mos -Híd: B idge (in Slo ak and Hunga ian) Od aha O2H: Cou age Sieť: Ne wo k SKOK: Eu opean Libe al Democ a s SDKÚ-DS (Slo enská demok a ická ak esťanská únia— Demok a ická s ana): Slo- ak Democ a ic and Ch is ian Union— Democ a ic Pa y ŠANCA: Chance Ľudo á s ana Naše Slo ensko: People’s Pa y— Ou Slo akia REFERENCES Abdo, G. (2003). Media and in o ma ion: he case o I an. Social Resea ch, 70(3), 877–886. Baidullaye a, A. (2015). 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Discou se & Socie y, 10(4), 487–508. Ruslan Saduo | Bashki S a e Uni e si y, School o Romance and Ge manic Philology, Depa men o English Philology and In e cul u al Communica ion <Ruslan.Saduo @gmail.com> OPEN ACCESS