The 200-Word Language: Is Trump Addressing the World with a Child's Vocabulary?

A unique linguistic phenomenon stands out in the public speeches of former US President Donald Trump, where he radically deviates from traditional, sober political language. Trump relies on a very limited vocabulary and constant repetition of certain phrases in his communication with the public, within rhetorical rhythms characterized by speed and high spontaneity.

Academic analyses from the Paris Institute of Political Studies indicate that this style is not merely spontaneous, but a specific communication pattern. This pattern relies on extreme simplification and recycling of words in different contexts, with an emphasis on tone of voice and facial expressions to convey the desired messages.

According to a study conducted by researcher Frédérique Sandretto, Trump uses only about 200 words in most of his public speeches. This finding was based on 'logometria' techniques, which perform a precise quantitative analysis of the vocabulary used in contemporary political discourse.

This low number reflects a high level of linguistic simplification, which experts believe is equivalent to the linguistic comprehension level of an 18-month-old child. This extreme simplification aims to make the political message quickly consumable without requiring significant mental effort from the recipient.

When comparing this performance with other American presidents, a wide gap in linguistic richness and expressive variety emerges. While Trump settles for this limited dictionary, President Joe Biden uses between 1200 and 2000 words in his speeches, which represents ten times Trump's linguistic output.

The comparison becomes sharper when recalling Barack Obama's style, who was known for his high eloquence and ability to adapt complex language. These differences place Trump's discourse in a completely separate category from the rhetorical traditions that characterized the White House for many decades, where the average citizen's vocabulary ranges between 5000 and 10000 words.

Analysts believe that this apparent linguistic deficiency may be a carefully considered communication strategy to target broad electoral bases. Using direct and simple language is easily understood by all social groups, away from the complexities of the political elites in Washington.

This pattern is classified as 'populist discourse,' which relies on dividing the world into sharp and clear binaries such as 'good guys' and 'bad guys.' In this context, Trump uses harsh descriptions of his political opponents, such as Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, to solidify these divisions in the minds of his supporters.

Interpretations of the nature of this style vary, with debate oscillating between it being a clever tactic for mass influence or an indicator of cognitive limitations. Some hypotheses also link this decline in vocabulary diversity to possibilities related to cognitive decline associated with aging.

On social media platforms, the public is divided on the effectiveness of this style; while some see it as one of the secrets of his success in reaching people, others consider it a lack of political maturity. Ultimately, Trump's style remains a clear departure from traditional rules, relying on repetition as a primary tool for dominating public discourse.

The range of vocabulary used in Trump's speeches is equivalent to the linguistic comprehension level of a child around 18 months old, reflecting extreme and excessive simplification.