Investigating The Perlocutionary Thrust Of Language Of Propaganda In The Political Writings On Nigeria's 2015 General Elections

Abstract  

Words perform actions. Language and in fact words have different functions and according to the speech act theory of J.L Austin, utterances both written and spoken have a particular effect it should have on the listener. Many researchers have written on political campaign speeches and a universal trend in them - propaganda in Nigeria. The researcher feels that the related works previously done on the field of enquiry did not probe into the underlying intentions beneath the speaker’s mind neither did they succinctly address the effect the utterances make on the audience- the electorate. This makes the undertaking of this research important. The researcher also observed that the perlocutionary thrust of language use on the aspirants and the electorate with regard to campaign of calumny (propaganda) is yet to be fully studied. With this in mind, this study uses the Speech Act theory of J.L Austin to show that language has a great effect on both the voters and contestants as observed during the 2015 general election in Nigeria. This research  takes into consideration most especially eight selected writings of party loyalists of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) during the 2015 presidential election. Data collected for this research spanned from the buildup of the campaign process in August 2014 to the eve of the elections in March 2015, feared in many quarters as the last Nigeria would ever had.  Key terms: perlocutionary thrust, propaganda, political writings, 2015 general election. 

Title page          

Certification            

Dedication           

Acknowledgement          

Abstract           

Table of content 

        

Introduction          

Statement of research problems        

Objectives of research        

Scope of Study         

Expected Contributions to Knowledge

       

CHAPTER TWO 

Party Politics in Nigeria        

The Language of Political Campaigns as a Variety of Language.  

Speech Act          

Propaganda         

Roots in the Catholic Church        

Literacy Propagates Propaganda      

War and Propaganda.        

Digitization and the Media; Roles Played in dissemination of Propaganda 

The Place of Propaganda in Politics      

Rhetoric            

Common Propaganda Techniques As Evidently Used In Nigeria   

Theoretical Framework         

Connecting the Three Speech–Acts 

     

CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 

 Introduction         

 Analysis

           

Summary             

Conclusion         

Recommendations              

REFERENCES