Modern British political discourse: aphoristics in the rhetoric of Theresa May

The study of political rhetoric and linguistic features of the speech of politicians in the modern world, characterized by tense interstate relations, is extremely relevant. Various linguistic means of influencing politicians on the audience, methods of manipulating and persuading people are of particular interest. The article examines some of the features of the English-language political discourse associated with the implementation of the strategy of influencing the addressee. Political discourse is understood in a broad sense as a communicative sphere directly related to the policy of the state, and including any speech with appropriate content, as well as the subject and addressee. The material of the study is the speech of the British politician T. May, thematically related Brexit. The purpose of the speech is to influence the audience in such a way that the ideas expressed are regarded as necessary, better in comparison with others, so that the audience believes, accepts and positively evaluates them. In the article such a specific feature of political discourse as aphoristics is examined. The term “aphoristics” in relation with political discourse is connected with the use of widely used and recognizable territorial means and techniques, fixed expressions, aphorisms, proverbs and sayings. On the material of T. May’s speech, the use of aphoristics in political discourse is shown and their influencing function is revealed.