Exchange Roles and Exchange Structure in The United States Presidential Election Debate 2024: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

Abstract

This study aims to examine the exchange roles and exchange structures found in the 2024 United States Presidential Election Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris In political debates, the way candidates construct arguments, respond to challenges, and influence audiences is essential in understanding their interpersonal interaction. By applying the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework, this analysis focuses on two main components: exchange roles (speech functions and mood) and exchange structure (move). A qualitative approach is used and Halliday and Matthiessen's SFL framework. The findings identify four types of speech functions: Statement-Acknowledge Statement, Question-Response Statement to Question, Offer-Acknowledge of Offer, and Command-Response Offer to Command. Move realization patterns, the findings reveal key patterns: “K1”, "K2^K1", "K1^K2F", "K1^K2^K1F", "A1^A2", as well as dynamic moves involving Challenge (CH) and Response to Challenge (RCH). The findings show that the use of exchange roles and exchange structures play a crucial role in shaping interpersonal relationships and power dynamics within the debate.