Browsing by Author "Abdul Sunokpera"

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    A Comparative Analysis of Muhmmadu Buhari and Alexander Boris Johnson’s Appreciation and Sensitisation Speeches on Coronavirus Pandemic
    (University of Lagos Press, 2017) Abdul Sunokpera
    This paper examines the discourse of coronavirus pandemic by appraising the appreciation and sensitisation speeches of the British Prime Minister and the president of Nigeria. The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic triggered the production of different types of texts as discourses from different parts of the world. The majority of these discourses seek to proffer solution to the global pandemic. The appreciation and sensitisation speeches of Alexander Boris Johnson and that of Muhammadu Buhari are no exception. The two speeches were divided into eight texts and analysed using a Functional-Semiotic Discourse Analysis as applied by Daramola (2008) and Appraisal Theory as theoretical underpinnings. After the analysis of semiotic and appraisal resources in the two speeches using the two linguistic theories, it was concluded that different linguistic resources drawn from different sources by different speakers could be deployed to perform different communicative functions in order to achieve the same communicative ends.
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    Discourse Space Theory and Conceptual Metaphor in Muhammadu Buhari`s Inaugural Speech
    (University Of Lagos Press, 2017) Abdul Sunokpera
    In the last few decades, researchers especially in the humanities and social sciences have directed a renewed and undivided attention so to speak to the field of political communication and/or political discourse. This renewed effort has produced avalanche of literature in political discourse which has in turn attracted the interest of both political and discourse analysts in this direction. Political discourse is hydra-headed as it embraces several other sub-genres such as political debates, political broadcast interviews, political rallies parliamentary sessions, presidential inaugurals among others. Researches on presidential inaugurals have grown enormously in the recent times. This unprecedented growth may not be unconnected with the democratisation process as a new world order .It is today a common practice for democratically elected presidents or military juntas in dictatorial regimes especially in the third world countries to deliver an inaugural speech immediately following their swearing the oath of office. In the course of this exercise, the political actors draw certain rhetorical devices to service in order to manipulate and convince the citizenry about their dedication and commitment to serve them. This paper therefore seeks to situate Discourse Space Theory and Conceptual Metaphor in the inaugural speech of Muhammadu Buhari. Using these two theoretical models, we shall be better placed to encapsulate how political actors use language in both its literal and literary senses to shape discourse and by extension reconstitute certain values among the citizenry.
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    Studying Language in Context: Exploring SFL Advances in Theorising and Applicability
    (2018-03) Abdul Sunokpera
    The relevance of language as a means of interaction especially in multilingual societies is not open to discussion. As a tool of interpersonal relations, global peace and social cohesion, language is deployed in specific contexts by different range of users in order to establish different shades of meaning and by extension shape the society in a way that will make it become habitable for various races across the globe. Unfortunately, many studies particularly in the humanities and social sciences, have over the years deployed the notion of context in relation to language in a somewhat narrow and misguided sense. This paper therefore, seeks, to re-position context in System Functional Linguistics (SFL) in a broader perspective taking into cognizance the socio-cultural differences that underlies the use of context. The Hallidayan account of the notion of context will be evaluated and situated within Batonu Language spoken in north-west Nigeria specifically in Kwara State in order to ascertain its applicability to diverse cultures.