Rhetoric of direct and indirect notation of concepts: the procedure of transformation of an idea into an effect

Abstract

The paper dwells on the textual ways direct and indirect references to concepts transform into particular effects. The topicality of the publication is brought about by the necessity to study the impact on the audience achieved by verbal formation of particular impressions. The goal of the article is to reveal how the direct reference to the democracy concept or its absence creates the desired effect in the inaugurals by American Presidents Obama and Biden. The paper applies the rhetorical methodology of idea-turned-impression to explain the way the concept named in the beginning of a speech transforms into a particular effect meant to influence the audience. It is found that the indirect reference to the democracy concept is implemented by the units of two groups: basic-level, indicating the people and the government, and axiological, naming freedom, equality, unity etc. The direct reference by the noun ‘democracy’ performs compositional and persuasive – existential and metaphorical – functions. The methodology of the article includes methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as special methods of knowledge, which are typical for philology.