Text and Narrator’s Text: An Analysis of Stylistic Profile of Narrators in Pakistani Diplomatic Cypher (March 07, 2022)

Abstract

The paper focuses on the stylistic and linguistic characteristics of the Pakistani Diplomatic Cypher (March 7, 2022). It describes the meeting between Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu. Using the Stylistic Profile framework of Wolf Schmid (2010), the analysis splits Narrator’s Discourse (Asad Majeed Khan) and Character’s Discourse (Donald Lu), which explores how the dominance is encoded in the structure of a narrative. The results indicate that the neutrality of Pakistan and priorities of the region are defended through the restrained and justificatory style by Asad Majeed with compound sentences. Conversely, the assertive discourse of Lu makes use of conditional sentences and complex sentences, as well as instrumental functions, to express U.S dissatisfaction, making it subtle to associate bilateral relations with the political developments in Pakistan. The cypher represents diplomacy and indirectness that does not offend anyone but promotes geopolitical interests. The study has informational value on how narrative power is used in asymmetric diplomacy and can be applied in the work of policymakers who work through cultural and power asymmetry.

Keywords: Diplomatic Discourse, Narratology, Relations of Power, Relations Between Pakistan And U.S., Stylistic Profile, Cypher.