An Analysis of Language and Gestures in Political DiscoursePremužič, Aleksandra (Avtor) Plemenitaš, Katja (Mentor) Key words: gestureslanguagepolitical discourseBorut PahorBarack ObamaPoliticians have always used language accompanied by gestures to convince people that they are the best to lead them. The main aim of this thesis is to examine how verbal and nonverbal elements are connected in political discourse. More precisely, the study presented in the thesis examines how language and gestures are used by President Barack Obama and Borut Pahor and compare their use of gestures in their speeches. In the theoretical part we deal with verbal communication, nonverbal communication, rhetoric, gestures, political discourse and personalities of the president Pahor and the president Obama. The study that follows contains an analysis of two videos of Borut Pahor and two of Barack Obama. Screen shots from the video were made to see which gestures they use in different speeches. In total 16 gestures were examined for each video and for each of the gesture we noted what presidents were saying and which persuasive appeals of rhetoric they were using. The analysis shows that when President Obama and Pahor talk about similar topics they use similar gestures. The analysis also shows that gestures used in their speeches accompany all three lines of argument in rhetoric: ethos and pathos and also logos.[A. Premužič]20162016-02-12 20:11:49Magistrsko delo/naloga57317UDK: 81'38:32(043.2)COBISS_ID: 22034440NUK URN: URN:SI:UM:DK:GBN51JNLsl