A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF METAPHOR IN SELECTED ACCEPTANCE AND INAUGURAL SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF METAPHOR IN SELECTED ACCEPTANCE AND INAUGURAL SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
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Date
2016-01
Authors
LAWAN, Halima Morenikeji
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Abstract
In recent times, there has been a pragmatic shift in the interest of linguists from language
form to language functions especially from Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) perspective.
Several attempts have been made by scholars to investigate what people do when they use
language. The use of metaphor in speeches abounds as studies carried out by Lakoff (1980)
and Barbour (1974) suggests that metaphor goes beyond aesthetics and colouration in
language use; but performs meaning beyond the surface level. The purpose of this work
therefore is to analyse through Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) which is an aspect of
CDA, the metaphoric use of language in President Goodluck Jonathan and President Barack
Obama‘s acceptance and inaugural speeches. The speeches were carefully selected and the
study paid attention to the functions and roles metaphors play in speeches and cohesively, the
different forms of metaphors used in the speeches. With a total of twelve (12) types of
metaphors used, the study finds out that metaphors perform different functions asides being
element of literary aesthetic or verbose display of intellect in language proficiency. These
functions include the ability to establish common ground, the tendency to create ambiguous
and obscure statements, the ability to use metaphoric language as elements of lies and
deception and other functions. In the light of the above findings, the study concludes that the
use of metaphoric language (pointing to different types of metaphors) in the analysed
presidential speeches performs two major functions: the pragmatical, power relation and the
political— that is the supposition of interaction that displays social relations and power
differential and struggle. It is pragmatical when the choice of metaphor only performs the
function of emphasising the truth-value of a statement but by default, utterances do not
correspond with semantic interpretations; it is that of power when its use exercises power,
shows power struggle or a power differential and it is political when the use is aimed at
persuading and winning support, lying or deceiving the public.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE
STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD
OF A
MASTER OF ARTS (ENGLISH) DEGREE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND LITERARY STUDIES
FACULTY OF ARTS
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA NIGERIA
Keywords
CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS,, METAPHOR,, SELECTED ACCEPTANCE,, INAUGURAL SPEECHES,, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN,, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA,