Discourse Techniques in Chief Willie M. Obiano’s Inaugural Address, “Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence…” BY Ofoegbu Cyril Okechukwu [email protected] Department of English, Anambra State University, Igbariam Campus, Anambra State. AND Umeh, Rose Amaechi Department of English, Anambra State University, Igbariam Campus, Anambra State. 73 Abstract Language has been identified as man’s most important and effective means of communication. Language is also a portrait of human thought and it reflects the quality of thought generated in society. This discourse involves the context of usage. Woods Nicola (2006) defined discourse as language plus context. She says discourse determines our language in the context of usage. This paper focuses on the discourse techniques used by Chief Willie M. Obiano, the executive governor of Anambra state, in his inaugural speech, delivered on the 17th of March 2014. These techniques blended in his political discourse are coinages, diction and placement of words, word-trading, speech vocatives, figurative use of language and idiomatic expressions, rhetorical questions, Igbo praise names, collective pronoun- we, the repetitive use of the negative prefix –re and party slogans as a persuasive means of communication in the speech. These expressions played the role of driving home the message in the speech. Finally this paper explores the effectiveness of the discourse techniques employed by the governor in his speech thus places this speech as a political speech in a political discourse. Keywords: Discourse analysis, discourse techniques, inaugural address and language. 74 Introduction Many scholars have defined language as an important tool of human communication and they have also identified language as an effective means of human interaction. Ofoegbu (2008:1) defines language as “the human system of communication” He says man uses language for his everyday interaction. Language according to Akindele and Adegbite (1999:1) is characterized by a set of vocal sounds which can be decoded. They describe language as a human phenomenon that has form which can be described in terms of the units of sound, words, morphemes, phrases, sentences and paragraph or discourse. They finally submit that form refers to the means by which sounds are connected with meaning in language. Man uses language to communicate his individual thoughts, inner feelings and personal psychological experiences and this is evident in the study. The governor has used language to establish a social relationship between him and his audience. His use of language in this speech is informative as well as persuasive. Language is used for effective communication. This paper focuses on the discourse techniques used by Chief Willie Obiano. It is an eight page speech in which chief Obiano used appealing language to interact with his audience What is Discourse Analysis This is the branch of linguistics which deals with the analysis of written, spoken or sign language. No wonder, Woods (2006) asserts that discourse analysis “is language plus context.” She says that discourse is basically concerned with language in use. That is how language can be used in an identified context, to bring out its effectiveness. She believes that any act of carefully examining a particular discourse, brings about its analysis. Johnstone (2008:2) believes that the process of discourse analysis is a process of separating the two terms. She says that discourse is the actual instances of communicative action in the medium 75 of language. Johnstone (2008) believes that analysis is ambiguous and should be narrowed down to linguistics analysis because discourse is linguistics inclined. Olateju (2004:10) describes discourse analysis as an explicit, systematic account of structures, strategies or processes of text or talk in terms of theoretical notions developed in any branch of linguistics. She believes that every process of discourse analysis must be sufficient to provide for the information. She talks about accounting for every feature used in a work of discourse. She finally submits that discourse analysis is systematic in approach because it tries to analyze the language habit herein contained in a given discourse through empirical methods. What is Discourse Techniques This refers to the language used by authors/speakers to achieve an aim in a given piece. This simply means the language habit of a writer or speaker (Ofoegbu 2012:17). Many speakers employ discourse techniques in their speech and the aim is usually to drive home a point or sink home a message. The techniques used vary from speaker to speaker and this makes the study of discourse techniques unique because each speaker employs techniques that may be unique to him. Our focus in this inaugural speech by Chief Willie Obiano centres on the discourse techniques he used. Discourse Techniques in Chief Willie M. Obiano’s inaugural Speech Obiano made use of discourse techniques in his speech. He used diction and placement of words, figures of speech, code mixing and code switching, word-trading, speech vocatives, figurative use of language and idiomatic expressions, rhetorical questions, Igbo praise names, collective pronoun- we, the repetitive use of the negative prefix –re and party slogans as a persuasive means of communication in the speech. Diction and Placement of Words. The Title: - “Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence …” indicates that there is a relationship between the ex-governor and the incumbent; a limit in their activities which needs to be expanded. (See the front page 2 of the speech). 76 The use of the punctuation mark-ellipsis indicates that that expansion could go on and on, and that the ex-governors’ projects/structures and so on had excellent touches but need to be expanded by the in- coming Governor. Speech Vocatives: Pages 1 and 2 show the retinue of vocatives used by Chief Obiano. They are twenty-one lines. Line 1 - Your Excellency, the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Line 2 - The National Chairman of APGA – All Progressive Grand Alliance. Line 3 - Your Excellency – the immediate Past Governor of Anambra State –Mr. Peter Obi and wife. Lines 4-20 - Ladies and Gentlemen Line 21 - Ndi Anambra, Nkeonye Chili Yazeluoo! (See the attached speech) The last vocative in Igbo used by Chief Obiano indicates that he is writing mainly to an Igbo audience. This is a characteristic of a titled man’s greetings in Igbo land of which Chief Obiano is a titled man. He touched every aspect of the government in his greetings. He did not jump or break any protocol. This is a typical political vocative. It followed an organized order. His choice of words fall under the simple and everyday vocabulary. The vocatives he used was to draw the audience closer home. He strategically used them to show that he truly belonged to Anambra people. Coinages Chief Obiano used various coinages to drive home his point to his audience. 77 Line 1 page 2: “Beloved Anambrarians” The use of “Anambrarians” in this first line shows whom the address is meant for. The borrowed pattern of a Nigeria – citizen referred to as “a Nigerian” is used by Obiano to address his audience. Paragraph 2, line 1 – “Ndi Anambra” Paragraph 3, line 1 – Ndi b’anyi Page 3, paragraph 4, line 1: “Ndi Anambra” Page 7, paragraph 2, line 2: “Ndigbo Umunnem…” Page 6, paragraph 2, line 1, “Beloved Anambrarians…” Page 6, paragraph 4, line 1, “Fellow Anambrarians…” Page 8, paragraph 4, line 1, Ndi Anambra nile, Ndi Igbo nile. Page 6, paragraph 6: line 4: “Bring home your dollar and your skills ‘Dollar’ symbolizes huge sums of money (United States of America’s currency) while “Skills” symbolize the Igbo man’s ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Page 2, paragraph 5: “… our brother, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma has launched Nigeria into a “new industrial orbit”… indigenous automobile; manufacturing limited in Nnewi. Obiano calls it “the narrative of the New Anambra” - Page 8: “www.willie will work.com” I guess that the audience will applaud to such a coinage from their Governor and will see him as a workaholic and not as the past Governors who deceived Anambrarians and that Anambrarians would not think that another “Politricks” has emerged. The governor has carefully used and repeated the above coinages to depict his extension of brotherhood, patriotism and love for his people, (“See Ndi Igbo, Umunnem” page 7), who elected him into office. His coinages suit grass-root political involvement. His pattern is not for the elites alone. This is typical of Nigerian political speech pattern. 78 His placements of certain words side by side create meaningful pictures in the minds of his audience. The use of Code Mixing Code mixing is the use of two different languages in a given language discourse or a sentence string. The way he code mixed his speech, shows his knowledge of both the English language and Igbo language and it suggests he is bilingual and proficient in both languages. For examples: - page 2, paragraph 1; “Beloved Anambrarians…” - page 3, paragraph 6: “Fellow Anambrarians…” - page 4, paragraph 5, line 1: “Fellow Anambrarians…” - page 6, paragraph 2, line 1: “Beloved Anambrarians…” - page 6, paragraph 4, line 1: Fellow Anambrarians…” From the above, Chief Obiano used them as vocatives and at each one; there is a use of comma to signify his clarion call. This also indicates the writer’s call for unity of purpose. The use of Code Switching This is the use of two different languages, in two different sentences in a given discourse. The governor again displayed his proficiency of the Igbo and English languages Examples: - Page 2, line 1: Ndi Anambra, Nkeonye Chili ya zeluoo!” (Which means … protocol..) - Page 2: paragraph 3, line 1: “Ndi b’anyi” (which means my people”) - Page 6: paragraph 4, line 5: “Onyeghananwanneya, Igwebuike, Izukammananneji” (United we stand, divided we fall).