Linguistic Strategy for Presentation in Podcast “People You May Know” EP. “Empress Dowager Cixi”

Abstract

This research article focuses on how language use in storytelling to shape historical perception within a modern media context. The findings identify eight prominent linguistic strategies: 1) Naming 2) third-person pronouns 3) Casual Registers 4) code-switching with English vocabulary 5) the incorporation of specialized Chinese terminology 6) Intertextuality 7) narrative and 8) expressive speech acts. Among these, the informal register stands out as a key characteristic of the narrative style, reflecting an effort to enhance listener engagement. While the content is grounded in historical information, it is linguistically crafted to captivate the audience and present history as a compelling narrative. Moreover, the podcast exemplifies a hybrid form of storytelling that intersects biography, dramatization, and historiography. This blending of genres, constructed through narrative techniques, prompts critical.