Capturing power in diplomatic language use The case of a closed-door mediatory negotiation and its aftermath during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia

Abstract

In this study we capture power dynamics in diplomacy from a pragmatic angle, by examining a closed-door diplomatic mediatory negotiation and its aftermath. We first analyse the transcript of a mediation session between representatives of Slovenia and Croatia and a European Economic Community (EEC) delegation during the breakup of Yugoslavia. While the EEC representatives officially acted as mediators, they had earlier secretly agreed with the Yugoslav side to keep Yugoslavia intact. Second, we examine the transcript of a meeting between Slovenian politicians shortly after the mediation session. Studying these two datasets helps us to capture how power manifests itself in the mediatory negotiation studied, and how it is judged by the powerless afterwards. Focusing on language behaviour in the two datasets provides insight into the presence of power in a diplomatic situation where it should in theory not be played out. We use speech acts to analyse our data. © 2025 John Benjamins Publishing Company. All rights reserved.