"There Is Always a Better Tomorrow": Proverbial Rhetoric in Inaugural Addresses by American Presidents During the Second Half of the Twentieth Century
"There Is Always a Better Tomorrow": Proverbial Rhetoric in Inaugural Addresses by American Presidents During the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

Summary/Abstract: As a special rhetorical genre, the fourteen inaugural addresses by the ten American presidents of the second half of the 20th century represent a unique body of speeches. They are meant to be both timely and timeless, and they are crafted with much attention to elegant literary style. Yet, both Bible and folk proverbs play a major role in these messages by new presidents, who wish to communicate their political programs in an accessible fashion. Wanting their words to be remembered, presidents have also attempted to structure their memorable phrases on common proverbs, literally assuring that some utterances have become sententious or even proverbial.

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