U S E A N D A B U S E O F M O D I F I C A T I ON IN TELL AND TIME NEWS MAGAZINES
U S E A N D A B U S E O F M O D I F I C A T I ON IN TELL AND TIME NEWS MAGAZINES
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Date
1998-12-11
Authors
OYEDOKUN-ALLI, WASIU ADEMOLA
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Abstract
Today, the world over, no single agent disseminates
information and controls language, as does the media. We rely
much on the media for information and knowledge. Language is the
sole medium through which both these can be achieved. In effect,
therefore, the importance of language in the media cannot be too
strongly emphasised.
However, much as we seek to be informed (and, often, act on
such information) we realise that through the same mediumlanguage
- we receive wrong information. The reception of such
wrong information is not inherent in the code itself, but in the
manner in which it is coded.
The use of modification is one aspect of language that
preponderates every single statement in the media - to describe,
to limit, to intensify, to colour, and, above all, to achieve
precision and conciseness in information dissemination. If,
however, these modifiers are misused, much damage would be done
to information - which is the cornerstone of the media.
This study, therefore, examines the use and abuse of
modification in selected features in Tell and The News magazines
with a view to inferring the possible effects such use and abuse
have on communication. In Chapter one, we seek to determine:
Whether the structure of modification in English has
fixed or regular patterns.
the patterns and why they should be strictly adhered
to or conformed with, andiii. the possible effects of irregular pattern in the chosen
magazines, and on communication.
In chapter two we examine the relevant approaches to the
study of modification. From our analyses of the grammatical
models, and in view of the complex structure of modification, it
became intuitively evident that it is not possible for only one
grammatical model to adequately account for all the issues raised
on modification. Therefore, and as a result of this, we adopt
an eclectic approach as the scaffold upon which the theoretical
thrust for the study is anchored. A general approach, such as
the eclectic, covers the wide spectrum of the scope of
modification.
Our analysis covers such areas as syntax, Semantics,
lexicon, morphology, and phonology. And, for sake of analytical
expediency, these have been grouped into three Syntactico-semantics,
Lexico-semantic, and
Morpho-phonological.
Chapter three provides methodology for the study, using
Quirk and Greenbaum's (1973) "Performance and Judgement Tests",
which involve the frequency and percentage formulae for analysis.
Within the scope of methodological preliminaries in chapter
three, chapter four carries out the analysis of the selected four
features - two each from Tell and The News magazines. The
statistical analysis comes under the different linguistic
analysis - syntactical, semantical, morphological, lexical, and
phonological.
The study concludes that errors resulting from the use of
modifiers at the different linguistic levels bring about nuances
in meaning and distortions in communication, and posits that
writers, especially in the media, should adhere strictly to the
ordered patterns of the structure of modification, to make room
for effective communication. Finally, the researcher makes
strong case for further research on multiple modification,
articles, squinting modifiers, dangling modifiers, attachments,
misplaced structures, ambiguities, and more focus on the use of
language in the media.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POST GRADUATE
SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA,
NIGERIA.
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF
ARTS (M.A) IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF ARTS,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA.
Keywords
U S E,, A B U S E,, M O D I F I C A T I ON,, TELL,, TIME NEWS,, MAGAZINES.