A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Study of Modality in ......Crosstable SOURCE MODALS Can Must...
Transcript of A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Study of Modality in ......Crosstable SOURCE MODALS Can Must...
A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Study of Modality in Social Transformation Campaigns in Nigeria
By
MOHAMMED ADEMILOKUNObafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria &
Georg Forster Postdoctoral Fellow, Technische Universitat, Chemnitz, Germany
Background to the Study
• The importance of social transformation in Nigeria (Omilusi, 2017)
• The role of language in social transformation campaign in Nigeria
• Democratic and digital cultures as facilitators of social transformation in Nigeria (Opeibi, 2015)
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Statement of the Problem
• Only sociological studies on social tranformation in Nigeria (Saale, 2014; Uzuegbulam, 2015; Mustapha, Gbonegun & Mustapha, 2016; Akanbi & Beyers, 2017)
• Paucity of studies on the discourse from a linguistic perspective in Nigeria
• Lack of focus on the interpersonal elements of the discourse, especially as realised through the system of modality
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Objectives of the Study
• Identification of modal resources in social transformation advocacy in Nigeria
• Qualitative analysis of the modal resources
• Quantitative analysis of the modal resources
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Methodology
• Advocacy campaign texts, advertisements, discussions, debates,tweets, transcripts of phone-in programmes as data
• Focus on loss of values, democratic improprieties, insecurity andgender-based discrimination
• Data spanning March 2013 to March 2018• Focus on texts of state actors and non-state actors
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State Actor Corpus Text Type Number Text Tokens
Speeches 8 6,079
Radio Commentaries 8 2,855
Printed materials 8 2,132
Jingles 15 1,829
Total 12,895
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Corpus Continued (Non-state Actors)
Text Type Number Text Tokens
Speeches 5 1,082
Interviews 5 7,552
Jingles 5 455
Newspaper Comments 45 1,629
Tweets and Facebook
Posts
45 2,047
Total 12,7657
Non-state Actors (Male)
Text Type Number Word Tokens
Social media posts (Tweets
and Facebook posts)
39 1,734
Interview 4 4,513
Newspaper comments 45 1,629
Total 7,8768
Non-state Actors (Female)
Text Type Number Word Tokens
Speeches 4 1,082
Interview 1 3,039
Social Media Posts (Tweets and
Facebook posts)
6 313
Total 4,434
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Theoretical Framework
• Corpus-assisted critical discourse approach • Concordance hits and Key word-in-context for quantitative
evidencing, where applicable using AntConc• Chi-square test using the R-programming language on R-studio
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Deontic Modals
-Modals used to influence, people, actions and situations-They are significantly used in the discourse for calling the people to certain positive actions for the transformation of NigeriaData:-You must be determined to work hard, you must ensure to be a person of integrity…and you must not see yourselves as young people of southwest alone…You must make contacts across the country, you must build bridges across the country; you must see yourself first and foremost as a Nigerian citizen.-Today it saddens my heart that this government has gotten to the point where they intimidate and threaten the lives of its citizens instead of addressing the concerns of the killings and abduction of its citizens @obyezeks @BBOG_Nigeria@emekakickoff ...We must rise up now.
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Deontic Modality (Concordance for Must: SA-68 (NRF: 52.7); NSA-40 (NRF: 31.3)
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Collocates of mustCollocates of must
be doneXXXXXXXkeep to proceduresXXXXriseXXXdetermine toXXface the musicXXbe determinedXXbe patrioticXXbe stoppedXXthink of peaceXXfight corruptionresistbe respectedHave a change ofcheck
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Gender-based Concordance Hits for must (MNSA-26 (NRF:34.3); FNSA-14 (NRF:29.3)
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Concordance Hits for should (SA-34(NRF:26.4); NSA-54(NRF:38.4)
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Collocates of should
Positive collocates of
should
Neutral
Collocates of
should
Negative
Collocates of
should
Nominal
Collocates of
should
be empoweringXX conduct background check
Religious leaders
be committedXX mark the facesXX GovernmentXX
focus on core values JudgesXXrestructure NigeriaXXXXXbe banned WeXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXYouXXXFemale genital mutilation
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Gender-based Concordances for should (MNSA-21 (NRF:63.1); FNSA-28 (NRF:26.7)
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Epistemic Modality
• Such modality “marks the degree/and or source of a speaker’s commitment to the embedded proposition” (Papafragou 2006:1689).
• Epistemic modality realised through modal verbs such as may, might, will, should, can, could and must
-Dishonesty will rob you of your reputation, respect and your influence.
-Let us be clear, a fire brigade approach for a third political force in Nigeria may notfail in its aim to ascend the throne. However it will implode like the APC for asimple reason
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Concordance Hits for will (SA:80 (NRF:60.5); NSA:77(NRF: 57.2)
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Collocates of Will
Positive Collocates (Subject) + will Negative
Collocates
Be well Corruption XXX kill NigeriaHelp restore campaignXXX rob youdeal with;help Children be stolen
Dishonesty triumphGodXXX surviveCommonwealthEvilOur nation
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Gender-based Concordance Hits for will: MNSA-45 (NRF: 57.1); FNSA-27(63.1)
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Frequencies of modals in the corpus
Modals Absolute Frequency Normalised Frequency
per 10,000 Words
must 105 40.9
will 154 60.01
should 83 32.3
can 71 27.6
would 45 17.5
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CrosstableSOURCE MODALS
Can Must Should Will would Row Total
FNSA 20 13 28 28 11 100
Chi S. Cont. 1.075 4.676 5.494 0.710 0.151
N/R Total 0.200 0.130 0.280 0.280 0.110 0.217
N/C Total 0.274 0.120 0.337 0.185 0.244
N/T Total 0.043 0.028 0.061 0.061 0.024
MNSA 18 27 21 45 8 119
Chi Cont. 0.041 0.032 0.010 0.902 1.139
N/R Total 0.151 0.227 0.176 0.378 0.067 0.259
N/C Total 0.247 0.250 0.253 0.298 0.178
N/T Total 0.039 0.059 0.046 0.98 0.017
SA 35 68 34 78 26 241
Chi Cont. 0.273 2.303 2.069 0.016 0.249
N/R Total 0.145 0.282 0.141 0.324 0.108 0.524
N/C Total 0.479 0.630 0.410 0.517 0.578
N/T Total 0.076 0.148 0.074 0.170 0.057
Column Total 73
0.159
108
0.235
83
0.180
151
0.328
45
0.098
460
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X^2 df P(> X^2)
Pearson: 19.144 8 0.014108
Phi-Coefficient: NA; Cramer's V: 0.144
Association Plot
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Conclusion
-Modals in the discourse communicating interpersonal meanings, reflecting the commitment of the text producers towards their propositions-Passion of text producers for a transformed Nigeria reflected in significant use of must by both state actors and non-state actors-Use of the modals reflective of the ideological and power configurations of the Nigerian society
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References
• Ajiwe, U, Okwuosa, S. & Chukwu-Okoronkwo, S., 2015. Nigerian videofilms as effective tool for social transformation: A critical appraisal of Fola Toro. American Journal of Social Science Research, 1 (2), 57-62.
• Akanbi, S. & Beyers, J., 2017. The church as a catalyst for transformation in the society. Theological Studies, 73(4), 1-8.
• Fairclough, N. 2015. Language and Power. London, Routledge.
• Entmann, R. 1993. Framing: Toward classification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51-58.
• Opeibi, T., 2015. New media and the transformation of political cultures in Nigeria: Exploring a corpus-based discourse approach. REAL Studies, 9, 209-231.
• Opeibi, B., 2016. Digital media and civic engagement in Nigeria: A corpus-based discourse study of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s facebook. In: R. Taiwo & T. Opeibi (Eds.), The Discourse of Digital Civic Engagement: Perspectives from the Developing World. New York: Nova Publishers, pp. 1-34.
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Appreciation
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
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