No 'I' in budget, unless you are Peter Costello

Q: How often did Peter Costello and Wayne Swan use the personal pronoun "I" in their budget speeches?

According to the study, Peter Costello used I 25 times in 2005, 23 times in 2006 and 25 times in 2007. Wayne Swan used I 12 times in 2008 and 11 times in 2009, so Costello projected himself more personally in those speeches.

Q: How was the word "tax" used in the budget speeches — as a noun or a verb?

The study found that in all five speeches tax was used only as a noun, never as a verb. Common forms included tax cuts, tax-free, tax deductible, tax break and tax benefit, and there were no instances of phrases like tax rise or tax hike.

Q: Were there differences in how the treasurers talked about saving and spending?

Yes. Costello showed a slightly more verby style — for example using saving as a verb (we are saving over $8 billion per annum in interest payments). Swan tended to use nouns (e.g. the savings decisions we have taken) and used the word spending more often than Costello.

Q: What tone about taxes did the study observe in budget speeches?

The analysis found that budget speeches tended to present warm happy news about taxes, using positive tax-related phrases and avoiding language suggesting tax increases, which makes taxes appear objectified and separate from the act of taxing.

WHEN it comes to the use of the personal pronoun in budget speeches, Peter Costello beats Wayne Swan hands down.

By InvestSMART · 10 May 2010

By InvestSMART ·
10 May 2010

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WHEN it comes to the use of the personal pronoun in budget speeches, Peter Costello beats Wayne Swan hands down.

But Mr Swan has been more likely to talk in billions while Mr Costello tended to deal in millions.

The treasurers have one thing in common, according to a study of the language of the past five budget speeches: they used "tax" only as a noun, never as a verb.

Annabelle Lukin from Macquarie University's linguistics department has done a computer analysis of Costello's last three budget speeches and Swan's first two.

Costello used the word "I" 25 times in 2005, 23 in 2006 and 25 in 2007, projecting himself "personally" through the budget announcements. Swan said "I" only a dozen times in 2008 and 11 in 2009.

Dr Lukin writes that by using "tax" as a noun, "it gets objectified, and therefore becomes separate from the act of taxing".

"We find many instances of 'tax cut/s', and 'no tax on . . .' 'tax-free', 'tax deductible', 'tax break', 'tax benefit'. We find no instances of 'tax rise', 'tax hike', or related phrases. Budget speeches have warm happy news about taxes."

The study found "some evidence of a slightly more 'verby' style in Costello's speeches, meaning a tendency towards a more plain, 'unpacked' style". For instance, Costello used "saving" as a verb, as in "we are saving over $8 billion per annum in interest payments". Swan never says "we are saving", instead saying things like "the savings decisions we have taken will allow us to offset fully our new spending".

Swan says the word "spending" much more than Costello.

"It is sobering to read fives speeches in a row, since budgets are full of promises . . . On the basis of these speeches, Australia should have: a sustainable world-class health system, jobs for all Australians, no skills shortages, carers who feel their work is recognised and valued, a stabilised Iraq, high-quality education at all levels . . ."

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What did the Macquarie University study examine about Australian budget speeches?

The study by Annabelle Lukin in Macquarie University's linguistics department did a computer analysis of the language in five budget speeches — Peter Costello's last three and Wayne Swan's first two — to compare word choices, pronoun use and how taxes, savings and spending were talked about.

How often did Peter Costello and Wayne Swan use the personal pronoun "I" in their budget speeches?

According to the study, Peter Costello used "I" 25 times in 2005, 23 times in 2006 and 25 times in 2007. Wayne Swan used "I" 12 times in 2008 and 11 times in 2009, so Costello projected himself more personally in those speeches.

Did the treasurers differ in the scale of money they discussed (millions versus billions)?

Yes. The article notes Wayne Swan was more likely to talk in billions while Peter Costello tended to deal in millions, reflecting a difference in how each framed the monetary scale of budget items.

How was the word "tax" used in the budget speeches — as a noun or a verb?

The study found that in all five speeches "tax" was used only as a noun, never as a verb. Common forms included "tax cuts", "tax-free", "tax deductible", "tax break" and "tax benefit", and there were no instances of phrases like "tax rise" or "tax hike".

Were there differences in how the treasurers talked about saving and spending?

Yes. Costello showed a slightly more "verby" style — for example using "saving" as a verb ("we are saving over $8 billion per annum in interest payments"). Swan tended to use nouns (e.g. "the savings decisions we have taken") and used the word "spending" more often than Costello.

What tone about taxes did the study observe in budget speeches?

The analysis found that budget speeches tended to present "warm happy news about taxes," using positive tax-related phrases and avoiding language suggesting tax increases, which makes taxes appear objectified and separate from the act of taxing.

Which budget years were included in the language analysis?

The study covered five consecutive budget speeches: Costello's last three budgets (2005, 2006, 2007) and Swan's first two budgets (2008, 2009).

Why should everyday investors pay attention to the language used in budget speeches?

Budget language influences how policies are framed: the study shows treasurers use pronouns, nouns and verbs to project responsibility and positive outcomes, and they often present taxes and budget decisions in upbeat terms. Investors can benefit from reading beyond the rhetoric to understand the substance behind promises and budget figures.