Tools of Wit Blog

Style In Political Speeches: "Tricolon"

"Tricolon" is the placement of three items in a list. Tricolon has been popular in Western culture from the time of the Greeks. Using tricolon is so common with us that we use it automatically, and since it satisfies both the speakers and of the listeners, it is ubiquitous in public speaking. Here are examples of tricolon in speeches delivered at the national conventions of the Republicans and Democrats.

Barack Obama: ... more Americans are out of work... More of you have lost your homes... More of you have cars you can't afford to drive...

Barack Obama: ...on health care and education and the economy...

Barack Obama: [that old, discredited Republican philosophy:] Out of work? Tough luck. You're on your own. No health care? The market will fix it. You're on your own. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps -- even if you don't have boots. You are on your own.

John McCain: that strategy succeeded, and it rescued us from a defeat that would have demoralized our military, risked a wider war, and threatened the security of all Americans.

John McCain: I know how the military works, .../ I know how to work with leaders who share our dreams.../ I know how to secure the peace.

John McCain: We need to change the way government does almost everything: from the way we protect our security to the way we compete in the world economy; from the way we respond to disasters to the way we fuel our transportation network; from the way we train our workers to the way we educate our children. There seems a required formula for ending a political speech. McCain: "Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America." Obama: "Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America." Hillary Clinton: "Thank you. God bless you, and Godspeed."

Don't avoid tricolon as overused. It satisfies a strong expectation in your listeners. Use it in your own speeches.

posted by TC @ 12:30 PM