Ellipsis in Trump and Kamala Speeches: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study investigates the use of ellipsis in the political discourse of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in televised interviews. Using the model of Quirk et al. (1972), the study analyzes types of ellipsis— situational, textual, nominal, verbal, and clausal—within their respective interviews on 60 Minutes. The analysis reveals that Trump’s speech frequently features situational and verbal ellipses, contributing to a conversational, informal tone, whereas Harris employs ellipsis more textually and nominally, reflecting a structured and intentional rhetorical style. The findings show notable contrasts in discourse strategies shaped by gender, political alignment, and rhetorical goals. The study concludes with recommendations for further sociopragmatic and syntactic- pragmatic research in political speech.