Discrediting strategy in English-speaking diplomatic discourse (based on speeches by John Kerry and David Cameron)

The article deals with diplomatic discourse and its essential characteristics. Verbal definitions of the terms strategy, discrediting strategy and tactics are distinguished and analyzed. This article involves the topic of classification of the discursive strategies into cooperative and confrontational ones. The author investigates discrediting strategy as one of discursive confrontational strategies. Tactics of discrediting strategy are described. The article contains examples taken from contemporary speeches and interviews dedicated to events in Syria given by John Kerry and David Cameron, which illustrate the use of the speech tactics being investigated. The author makes an attempt to establish implementation features of the discursive tactics by English-speaking diplomat.