Deictic Study of 64th Independence Day Speech Delivered by Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.
- Author Dorah Mensah
- Co-Author Daniel Afrifah Yamoah, Charles Djorbua
- DOI 10.17605/O
- Country : Ghana
- Subject :
Keywords : Independence, teamwork, proximal, distal, deixis, proximal
Abstract
This study sought to look at usage of deixis in the 64th Independence Day speech delivered by Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana. The Qualitative method was employed with a focus on descriptive text analysis. Data was purposively selected, downloaded, and converted from pdf to word format. The study focused on how the three types of deixis; person, time, and place were used. Their occurrences, effects, and the possible reasons for their use. It was revealed that person deixis had the highest usage, followed by time deixis and place deixis. It was also revealed that the first-person pronouns (I, we, us, and our) had the highest exploitation. By the generous use of these pronouns as deictic elements, the speaker achieved the most desired effects required of a speech of this nature- call for unity, teamwork, sacrifice, and commitment of all, especially at a time when the country had been hardest hit by the covid-19 pandemic. Time and place deixis all occurred in both proximal and distal forms relative to the time and place of the speaker and deictic center. By proximal use, time, and place deixis created some form of closeness and engagement with the audience, the people of Ghana. Distal forms created distance in time, suggestive of the ‘pastness’ of the events that led to the actual independence struggle concerning the time of speaking. They also depicted the positioning of these events in relation to the speaker's current positioning as the deictic center. It also created some form of psychological distance between the speaker and the audience.
Comments
No have any comment !