The Language Work of Speechwriters

Gwynne Mapes (University of Bern)

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English

Cambridge University Press
14 August 2025

Public speaking guides; Sociolinguistics; Semantics

Series: Key Topics in Applied Linguistics

The work of speechwriters is prominent in political discourse, yet the writers themselves remain in the shadows of the powerful, public figures they work for. This book throws the spotlight on these invisible wordsmiths, illuminating not only what they do, but also why it matters. Based on ethnographic research in the US American speechwriting community, it investigates the ways in which speechwriters talk about their professional practices, and also the material procedures which guide the production of their deliverables. Relying on a robust collection of various genres of discursive data, Mapes focuses on the primary rhetorical strategies which characterize speechwriters' discourse, neatly exposing how they are beholden to a linguistic marketplace entrenched in ideological and socioeconomic struggle. Providing fascinating insights into an understudied and relatively misunderstood profession, this book is essential reading for academic researchers and students in applied linguistics, discourse studies, linguistic and cultural anthropology, and sociolinguistics.

By: Gwynne Mapes (University of Bern)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781009539876
ISBN 10: 1009539876
Series: Key Topics in Applied Linguistics
Pages: 238
Publication Date: 14 August 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Gwynne Mapes is a senior researcher in the Department of English at the University of Bern, Switzerland. She is a critical scholar who has published widely on the topic of food and language. Her recent publications include Elite Authenticity (Oxford University Press, 2021).