A Critical Discourse Analysis of Jack Ma’s Motivational Speech on Social Media for Language Learners

Abstract

This study investigates Jack Ma’s motivational speech on YouTube, “Why I Learned English”, utilizing integrated Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) through Ruth Wodak and Meyer’s discursive strategies and Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. The analysis highlights three pre-determined aspects within the speech: 1) motivation, 2) language learning, and 3) intercultural understanding of the speech. The study adopts a qualitative, interpretive research design using CDA. The data were collected by transcribing the spoken speech from the video and analyzed systematically through CDA. The analysis started with manual verbatim coding, followed by discursive interpretation, and further analysis at the level of social praxis. The discourse level of analysis was conducted according to five discursive strategies suggested by Ruth Wodak and Meyer: nomination, predication, argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification/mitigation. The findings showed that Jack Ma’s speech employs the five discursive strategies for the flowing function roles: including nomination to construct social relations, predication to express evaluation, argumentation to develop persuasive reasoning, perspectivization to present personal experience and credibility, and intensification/mitigation to strengthen or soften statements for persuasive effect. Regarding the pre-determined aspects selected, the speech represents motivation as a result of effort, resilience, and self-reliance. Meanwhile, language learning was presented as a practical skill for communication and shifting from academic knowledge to global engagement, and intercultural understanding was an essential aspect of mutual respect, cooperation, and cross-cultural communication.