Investigating the 2016 EU Referendum in the UK, The Language of Brexit explores the ways in which ‘Brexit’ campaigners utilised language more persuasively than their ‘Remain’ counterparts. Drawing parallels with effective political discourse used worldwide, this book highlights the linguistic features of an increasingly popular style of political campaigning.

Concentrating on the highly successful and emotive linguistic strategies employed by the Brexit campaigners against the comparatively lacklustre Remain camp, Buckledee makes a case for the contribution of language towards the narrow 52-48% Brexit victory. Using primary examples, what emerges is how urging people to have the courage to make a bid for freedom naturally invokes more grandiloquent language, powerful metaphors and rousing partisan tone than a campaign which, on balance, argues that it’s best to simply stick with the status quo.

Examining the huge amount of discourse generated before, during and since the June 2016 EU Referendum, The Language of Brexit looks into the role language played in the democratic process and the influence and impact it had on electors, leading to an unexpected result and uncertain future.

“While rigorous, the book is also extremely accessible. […] It is a book to alert the general public to the way ‘truth’ is constructed in discourse.” Sue Wright. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development.

 

“All chapters are extremely well written, never tedious, often outright amusing, and there is something for everyone.” Anna Marchi. Critical Approaches to Discourse Analysis across Disciplines.

 

“[…] a timely, useful and interesting book, which can be enjoyed by scholars and students of journalism, politics and linguistics equally.” Tor Clark. Journal of Language and Politics.

 

“The analysis of the inclusive we as used by politicians and the press to create the ‘illusion of a classless alliance’ […] is a highlight.” Simon Stathan and Rocío Montoro. Language and Literature.

 

“Buckledee’s engaging writing and the thoughtful analyses he advances to unravel the discourse of the Brexit debate have left at least one reader looking forward to a follow-up book.” Erica Frazier. LSE Review of Books.

 

“The Language of Brexit […] explains how the emotive language used by Brexiteers in 2016 overpowered the Remainers’ rhetorical hedging.” Asa Bennett. Daily Telegraph.

 

“[…] the book affords useful insights into the discursive mechanism of an ongoing and significant social event.” Changpeng Huan. Discourse & Communication.

 

“Perhaps the greatest merit of the book – apart from its highly engaging style – is that it has succeeded in giving an all in all concise overview of the linguistic and discourse strategies that were employed by both sides in the referendum to persuade voters.” Lieven Buysse. English Text Construction.

 

“If only, I found myself wondering, there’d been such rigorous sentence-level scrutiny of the arguments before the election–rather than a year and a half afterwards.” Sam Leith. Prospect Magazine.