(By Aryavart International University, India)
Vol. 16, Issue 1, Jul-Dec 2023
Page: 8-15
Prof. Bushra Ni’ma Rashid
Received Date: 2025-10-27
Accepted Date: 2025-11-26
Published Date: 2026-01-21
Language is a crucial tool for building authority?and exchanging power in political discourse. Although a substantial amount of research has been dedicated to linguistic strategies employed by leaders associated with executive 'hard power', little is known about those figures operating on the basis of followership (executive or other),?who manifest themselves as soft power agents exerting their influence through moral authority, rather than coercive authority. This paper explores the use of Modality in English speeches delivered by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, particularly?in relation to global education and cross-cultural dialogue. Within a Hallidayan SFL/CDS-oriented framework, the study investigates the strategic use of modal verbs (e.g.,?must, will, can) to produce a discourse of empowerment and moral urgency. This paper demonstrates how Queen Rania uses, within her speeches, the grammar of modality in an attempt to close the gulf between East and West by recasting appeals?for aid as ethical imperatives owed by the international community. By examining the dynamics of linguistic options and social influence, this study adds to our understanding of how leaders who are not executive officials establish authority and challenge?global stereotypes.
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