Transitivity Analysis of Joe Biden's Speech on the Europe and Middle East Conflicts

Anbiadiyatma, Anbiadiyatma (2025) Transitivity Analysis of Joe Biden's Speech on the Europe and Middle East Conflicts. S1 thesis, Universitas Andalas.

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Abstract

This study employs Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), Halliday's framework of transitivity analysis, to examine the experiential meanings embedded within a speech delivered by U.S. President Joe Biden on October 20, 2023, while he was addressing the concurrent conflicts in Europe (Russia-Ukraine war) and the Middle East (Israel-Hamas war). The research aims to identify the transitivity analysis (Process, Participants, Circumstances) used in the speech and deduce the experiential meanings these structures convey regarding Biden's perspective and stance on the conflicts. A qualitative analysis using boxing diagrams and sentence level analysis was conducted on the official transcript of the speech, categorizing 174 sentences according to the six process types defined within SFL transitivity theory. Findings reveal a predominance of Material processes (46.55%), emphasizing actions and responses, followed by Relational processes (25.29%), used for attributing characteristics and defining identities. Mental processes (13.79%) conveyed emotional responses, while Verbal processes (11.49%) were less frequent. Existential (2.30%) and Behavioral processes (0.57%) were minimal. Circumstances of Location (50%) were most frequent, anchoring events in specific times and places. The analysis demonstrates how the strategic selection of transitivity analysis constructs experiential meaning: Material processes highlight tangible U.S. actions and decisions; Relational processes attribute roles and underscore the scale of destruction; Mental processes reveal emotional responses and extensive Location circumstances provide concrete grounding for the described events. The study concludes that the transitivity patterns collectively project U.S. leadership, frame the conflicts morally and strategically, express emotional resonance with victims, and underscore the perceived global significance and urgency of U.S. decisions regarding these conflicts.

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