The Use of Filled and Unfilled pauses by George W. Bush and Barack Obama

Abstract

The use of filled and unfilled pauses can be regarded as conversational and rhetorical devices respectively. Although listeners argue that excessive use of pauses is distracting, filled and unfilled pauses contribute to a higher level of understanding for listeners. US President Barack Obama is praised by the media for his oratory skills whereas former President George W. Bush is considered as not a very proficient speaker. This study investigated whether being a good speaker, like Obama, correlates with his use of filled and unfilled pauses in speeches and interviews. A speech and interview for both Bush and Obama were analysed by means of Praat. The results showed that Bush uses more unfilled pauses but less filled pauses than Obama. Thus, the use of pauses does not suffice as a variable on its own.