A Stylistic Analysis of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Udom Emmanuel’s New Year Speech
Abstract
The role of language in any speech event cannot be overemphasized. Language is the vehicle through which political speeches are carried out. This study investigated two speeches of President Muhammadu Buhari during the new year speech and that of governor Udom Emmanuel to ascertain how they have employed language, the linguistic elements used and the stylistic and pragmatic imports. Using the theoretical framework of stylistics, the researcher found out that Buhari tactfully used words to address Nigerians on Covid-19 and stressed the measures to be taken to contain the spread of the virus. To achieve the pragmatic effect of his speeches, he used lexical devices such as transitional makers, repetition, alliteration, assonance, pronouns to project the theme/subject matter of the language discourse. It was found out that the speaker used coordination to denote relationship of grammatical units, show contrast and as a re-statement of what he said earlier. The speaker repeatedly used coordination in his speeches and this is commendable since in language, identical items may be conjoined in an indefinite number of times. The analysis revealed that president is committed in combating the coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging his nation
Introduction
Language plays a pivotal role in human communication. It is a powerful tool used by political leaders in the discharge of their duties. The role of language in communication cannot be underestimated. The English Language is an indispensable tool for national unity, integration and global communication. In fact, Baldeh referred to it as “a window on the world” (7). It was Widdowson (2007) who opines that: all communication, to a greater or lesser extent, is an exercise in control, an attempt to assert one’s own position and to persuade the other to accept it. When somebody says, or writes something, it is with the intention of getting the addressee, the second person party to think or feel or act in a certain way (67). Bloch and Trager (1942) define human language as―a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group cooperates. Language is used in politics, administration, education, mass communication. It is used to perform the task of promising, appreciating, persuading etc and these go a long way to show the beauty inherent language of politics. Language therefore, plays an integral role in politics because its main function in different political situations is to enable politicians to form structurally stable social relationships.
This implies that regimes, whether totalitarian or democratic have to communicate so as to inform, persuade, advertise, issue rules and regulations, legislate, and so on (Gunta and Karapetjana 2009). Sharndama (2015) gave an insight into political speeches when he affirms that: political speech is associated with either struggle for power or maintenance/control of it. It is diverse because it encompasses the different forms of speeches that the politicians deliver at political forums. Chilton (1998) affirms that politics is “the art of governance and power” while language is “the universal capacity of humans in all societies to communicate”. Okoro C. N (2017) subscribes to this view when she asserts that politics is concerned with power to make decisions, control resources, and control other people’s behaviour and, at times to control their values. In this process, language plays a crucial role, for every political action is prepared, accompanied, influenced and played by language. Language, therefore, plays an important role in politics because its main function in different political situations is to enable politicians to form structurally stable social relationships (50).
A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENT MUHAMADU BUHARI’S NEW YEAR SPEECH
Lexical Analysis
A close examination of the lexical pattern of the speeches reveals the speaker’s intentions which include showing appreciation and exhortation, making promises, stating his commitment, setting of goals and how to achieve them. These are evident in the attitude of the speaker towards his audience (tone). The speaker deliberately selects words to effectively communicate his message. The lexical choices in the speeches reveal the intentions of the speaker such as directing/instructing, appreciating, extolling, promising/pledging, assuring, testifying etc as shown in the examples below.
- I would like to thank and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the opportunity to witness the start of another new year. (extolling)
- The whole instruments of government are now mobilized (testifying)
- This can also be said about all other nations around the world, due to the challenges posed on our collective humanity by the novel COVID-19 pandemic… (testifying)
- As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year…(consolation)
- May their souls rest in perfect peace.(consolation)
- While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond. (acknowledgement)
- …I had initially pledged that as your elected President and Commander-in-Chief, I would ensure that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination and with all the appropriateness and urgency required.… (assuring)
- I wish to also use this occasion of New Year to reaffirm my commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youth who need our collective encouragement and support. In securing this nation we need to secure the future of our youth. (affirmation)
- As a Government we are committed to actively engaging with the creative energies of our young people. (testifying)
- We are also currently rebuilding our national infrastructure base and, in the process, introducing transformation through the rehabilitation, modernization, and expansion of the railway system, national roads and bridges both in rural and urban centres, alongside the airports and seaports. (Testifying).
- I urge you all fellow citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols. (Command).
- I wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year. (wish)
- As your elected President, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour…(pledge)
- I must also thank the media houses, celebrities and other public figures (appreciating)
- I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration. (solemn request).
A Stylistic Analysis of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Udom Emmanuel’s New Year Speech
Use of Transitional markers
Transitional markers helped the president a lot to make an impact on his listeners especially the Nigerian nation.
First, I would like to thank and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the opportunity to witness the start of another new year.
First, to protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians
Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our…
In addition, I have signed the Quarantine Order…
However, we recognize that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive…
Accordingly, as a Government, we will continue to rely on guidance
The words in bold type are connectives that link the subordinate clauses to the main clauses.
The following lexemes are aptly combined. Auxiliaries and lexical verbs were utilized to achieve the objectives of the two speeches as is evident in the excerpts below:
Remain (verb) operational (adverb) Must (modal auxiliary) recognize (verb)
Have (aux) adopted (verb) strategies (noun) Difficult (adjective) time (noun) overwhelming (adjective) support (noun) Incredible (adjective) work (noun) healthcare (adjective) workers (noun) confirmed (adjective) cases (noun)
Most (adjective) vulnerable (noun)
Alliterations and Assonance
Alliterations and assonance encapsulated in parallel structures have artistic effects on the two speeches. According to Fabb (1999), alliteration is a phonetic literary device identified by the repetition of a coherent sequence of segments which begins with an onset.Examples are:
Country where chronic poverty, (the sound‘k’ alliterates)
Legislature and laws (the sound ‘l’ alliterates)
Contain and control (‘k’ alliterates)
Accomplishments and administration (‘a’ alliterates)
Happy and prosperous (‘h’ alliterates)
THE STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF GOVERNOR UDOM EMMANUEL
It is quite obvious that the New Year speech of our dear governor was not on the internet and of such the source of this analysis of is based on his new 2021 arm forces remembrance speech which was held on 15th January, 2021
Lexical Analysis
Stylistics is concerned with the study of the language of literature or the study of the language habits of particular authors and their writing patterns. From the foregoing, stylistics can be said to be the techniques of explication which allows us to define objectively what an author has done, (linguistic or non-linguistic), in his use of language.
The main aim of stylistics is to enable us understand the intent of the author in the manner the information has been passed across by the author or writer. Therefore, stylistics is concerned with the examination of grammar, lexis, semantics as well as phonological properties and discursive devices. Stylistics is more interested in the significance of function that the chosen style fulfils. The lexical choices in the speeches reveal the intentions of the speaker such as directing/instructing, appreciating, extolling, promising/pledging, assuring, testifying etc as shown in the examples below;
- We are gathered here today on this hallowed ground that speaks to bravery, valour and unbridled spirit of patriotism to honour those great and gallant Nigerians whose blood (extolling)
- Today, I stand here to re-echo the words of Late President Kennedy to ask that we all rise up and do all we can to ensure that the sacrifices our gallant heroes made were not in vain (acknowledgement)
- We fulfilled a promise I made when I visited one of our military formations at Ibagwa… (testifying)
- Let us restrain our impulses in agitating those things that only help to create chasms of alienation and division in our dear country. …( pledging)
- May their souls rest in perfect peace.(consolation)
- “it takes a hero to be one of these men who goes into battle,”. (testifying)
Use of Transitional markers
Transitional markers helped the governor a lot to make an impact on his listeners especially the Nigerian nation.
Today, I stand here to re-echo the words of Late President Kennedy to ask that we all rise up and do all we can to ensure that the sacrifices our gallant heroes made were not in vain…
The governor also make us e of the following ; Compound and complex sentences have been used to achieve this artistic effect. Assertive or declarative sentences also abound in the speaker’s speeches. Other structures that occur in his speeches were: imperative, exclamations and optative sentences. These are exemplified with the excerpts below:
- All these heroes served our Nation and offered their lives as ransom for the preservation of our territorial integrity or against internal and external aggressions.. (Declarative)
- May God continue to bless and protect us all. (Portative)
- Let me end this speech by calling for an urgent need to lower the temperature of our national discourse. (Declarative)
- We must not lose the gains achieved thus far.(imperative for advising).
- May affliction never visit us a second time! (Exclamatory)
We also pray for quick recovery for those infected and undergoing treatment. (Portative).
Ø REPETITIONS
Repetitions abound in the two speeches analyzed. The essence is not to create monotony or redundancy but to lay emphasis. Some of the linguistic units were repeatedly used. For instance, the word ‘gallant heroes’ appeared 6 times.
A Stylistic Analysis of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Udom Emmanuel’s New Year Speech
- Use of Coordination
According to Wardhaugh (1977), a structure of coordination contains a marker or coordinator and two or more independent units. These independent units can be words, phrases or even whole sentences. The units coordinated are termed conjoins. Quirk and Greenbaum (1973) identified four types of coordinators: pure coordinators, correlatives, quasi-coordinators and conjuncts. President Buhari made effective use of coordinators in his two speeches analyzed. This helped to bring about unity of structures in his sentences. The use of coordinators in his speeches therefore, has semantic implications. Examples:
1…corresponding gratitude and appreciation…
2… utter words of encouragement and appreciation but must spare our thoughts and wallets to the families…
Conclusion
A public speech is a socio-cultural phenomenon which embodies both oral and written forms. The speaker in the two speeches utilized language properly to convey his messages of commitment, directing, appreciation, instructing, promising and in so doing, he employed linguistic elements such as coordination, repetition, assonance and pronominal to achieve pragmatic and stylistic effects. The analysis also revealed that certain words of a particular register can be used by persons who do not belong to that profession.
References
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