Authors

Discussion

There is an incongruity in associating ethos, a concept both Greek and ancient with Maria Zakharova who is very much Russian and modern. However, the discourse of the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and its ability to persuade, strikes a contemporary audience in much the same way as it would those who lived during the time of Aristotle.

Aristotle devised a rhetorical scheme, a trinity of ethos, logos and pathos. The central and latter are self-evident to developing an argument; logic and the evocation of pity for one’s subject matter. Ethos, is qualitatively different from these. In this the speaker and their argument are inseparable. Firstly, a speaker must legitimise and promote their position (Plantin 2011: 36). Effectively establishing why we should attend and consider credible their position. Secondly, the status and persona of the speaker is fundamental to the how convincing an audience may find them.

 Focusing on press conferences between 2019-2021 we will identify the characteristics composing the persona of Maria Zakharova. Furthermore, we outlay argumentative strategies used by Mrs. Zakharova that utilise aspects of ethos (both discursive and pre-discursive) in their delivery. Finally, we detail a linguistic analysis of her speeches from syntactical, lexical and pragmatic perspectives.

 Examples of primary interest to us are those which display disagreement during conferences. This highlights how a speaker contends with confrontation. Herein we can see on full display the polemical approach and rhetorical ability of Mrs. Zakharova offering a glimpse into a unique mode of political communication.

 Ethos is not itself an argument but an aperture. Through this we can tease out arguments which have, in essence, persuasive elements enhanced by one’s moral or professional standing, for example. Thus, the speaker embodies the argument. Their character is inseparable from the argument’s delivery. 

With Mrs. Zakharova we observe strategies which derive credibility from expertise, authority, and novelty. All these strategies reinforce her professional position. Also, through the employment of these devices Mrs Zakharova ascends to the impoverishment of her opponent, since she doesn’t hesitate to give lessons to the others. Moreover, the spokesperson demonstrates her good moral character: she seeks to emphasise that she understands her audience because they share the same concerns, doubts, fears, and most importantly, the same country. 

We trust that our study will aid in the decoding of the oftentimes complex political messages seen in Russian media. Through the lens of ethos we can help understand how Mrs. Zakharova crafts her messages in order deliver meaning beyond words.