Nelson Mandela: From ‘I’m prepared to die’ to ‘Free at last’. A linguistic analysis

Abstract

The name Nelson Mandela is associated to concepts such as peace, harmony, and
the fight against apartheid. However, there are more unknown things and aspects about this
figure; for example, his membership to the terrorist organisation Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear
of the Nation).and his violent acts. This paper analysis some linguistic changes in his
discourse, related to his shifting ideology in the context of his life evolution. I focus on two of
his speeches: “I’m prepared to die”, a judicial declaration delivered in the Rivonia Trial where
Nelson Mandela and others were convicted of terrorism. The second corresponds to Nelson
Mandela’s inaugural address in 1994 when he was proclaimed President of South Africa.
There are great differences between the two and this will be shown in the use of different
linguistic strategies.