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

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.

A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF METAPHOR IN SELECTED ACCEPTANCE AND INAUGURAL SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA