Rhetorical Tactics in a Cross-Cultural Dialogue: Transitivity Analysis of the FOX vs. CGTN Host Debate

Abstract

This study analyzes the rhetorical tactics used in the FOX vs. CGTN host debate by Trish Regan and Liu Xin in the context of the China-US trade dispute. Utilizing a methodology rooted in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), the Transitivity analysis, this research uncovers four primary rhetorical strategies used by the hosts to enhance persuasiveness, echoing the classic rhetorical appeals mentioned by Aristotle and Confucius. These strategies include the use of an effective-passive voice in the Material Process to highlight the evidence and, therefore enhance logos, the tactical use of the “happening” type of Material Process as well as the Existential Process to make justifications and defend the rectification of names by steering away from adverse discussions subtly, leveraging the Mental Process with the unique feature of “Entity as Sensor” to enhance the level of authority and credibility of the speaker (ethos), and employing the “identifying” Relational Process to reduce the credible authorship of the opponent’s speech (depriving of ethos). By breaking down these strategies through analyzing the language structures, the study provides insight into the nuanced linguistic strategies used in complex international discussions. It seeks to enhance effective communication and mutual understanding in intercultural dialogues, answering the calls of scholars for comparative, alternative, and multicultural rhetoric studies.