Diplomatic Discourse

Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Law and Philosophy Library book series (LAPS, volume 91)

Abstract

Diplomatic language does not only involve verbal manifestations, but also a series of non-verbal signs used by diplomats and government representatives to communicate and convey messages to their respective foreign interlocutors. This chapter is concerned with diplomatic discourse in its linguistic dimension, i.e. the written verbal dimension of the language of diplomacy. This chapter begins by highlighting the influence of national cultures in the process of building a common diplomatic culture and discussing the international signification of diplomatic discourse, to then addressing the problem of the choice of a common working language and the tensions and interests involved in selecting this language. We conclude this chapter with some words on the differences between the sender of diplomatic discourse and the sender of legal-diplomatic discourse – an important differentiation in any semiotic study of international relations. In this fashion, we hope to supply some theoretical distinctions that promote a better understanding of the technicalities of legal-diplomatic discourse and any subsequent discourse resulting thereof.

Keywords

International Relation Language Policy Common Language Mother Tongue Power Distance 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV)Rio de JaneiroBrazil

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