An Analysis of Figurative Language Style of Donald Trump’s Presidential Election Speech

This research intends to examine the language style used in Donald Trump’s presidential election by examining figurative language. This study also aims to determine the function of the figurative language employed in Trump’s presidential speech. In order to achieve this, this research employs a linguistic stylistics approach. The descriptive qualitative method was chosen as the research method in this study. Laurence Perrine’s (1969) theory specifically identify the type of figurative language that was used to examine the use of figurative language in Donald Trump’s speech. This research used a transcription from a YouTube video of Donald Trump’s presidential election speech to collect data. This research found 39 data in Donald Trump’s presidential election speech video. The data has been classified into figurative language types and functions. The types are hyperbole with 10 (25.64%) data, personification with 8 (23.07%) data, simile with 8 (20.51%) data, synecdoche with 4 (10.25%) data, metaphor with 3 (7.69%) data, irony with 2 (5.12%) data, apostrophe, metonymy and paradox with 1 (2.56%) data. Then, the function of figurative language found which are increasing emotional intensity with 9 (64.28%) data, saying much in brief compass 4 (28.57%) data, bring additional imaginary and giving imaginative pleasure with 1 (7.14%) data