A STYLISTICS ANALYSIS OF HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATION DISCOURSES ON BILLBOARDS AND POSTERS IN WINDHOEK A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH STUDIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA BY Angelina U. Nashipeta 201208478 April 2019 Supervisor: Dr. R. Makamani Co- supervisor: Ms S. Ashikuti ABSTRACT This thesis was a stylistics analysis of healthcare communication discourses on billboards and posters in Windhoek. The main aim of the study was to examine how the language used in healthcare communication messages on posters and billboards, is packaged to persuade readers/consumers to adopt good health practices. The study also concentrated on how the AIDA (attention, interest, desire and action) principle of advertisement and foregrounding features used in healthcare communication massages contribute to the transformation of the readers’ mind and convince them to take the required necessary actions. The researcher used a qualitative approach since the study did a content analysis to examine why the writers in selected messages used the words they used to persuade readers about certain health issues. The analysis also focussed on what makes the selected texts persuasive using different stylistic techniques such as graphological deviation, parallelism and the AIDA principle of advertisement. A desktop study was utilised to analyse the discourse and to establish whether the messages and images, as well as where they appear (the whole poster or billboard including the background) address the aspect of persuasion and whether they reflect the AIDA principle of advertisement. The researcher utilised purposive sampling to choose seven billboards and seven posters. The researcher used the stylistics theory from a linguistic perspective. This theory was used as it highlights mostly the style used in the language in texts, and it explores creativity in language use. The major findings of the study were that writers of healthcare communication messages achieve persuasion through the use of pleasant words such as adjectives, personal pronouns, comparatives, superlatives, repetition, using pictures with attractive colors and other eye catching visuals. Persuasion is also achieved through brevity as messages are crafted as brief as possible to save the reader’s time. The study has drawn conclusions that all the words that healthcare communication text designers use when composing their texts are vital in persuading readers and getting the message across. However, i some words are more important than others in that they contribute more on convincing readers. These are the type of words which add more value and contribute towards the decision making process of the consumers. The AIDA principle together with foregrounding (graphological deviation and parallelism) contributes more on the transformation of minds. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost I would like to thank the almighty God, who provided me with wisdom, good health and all I needed to finish writing this thesis. This thesis is a product of combined efforts from many people who supported me in various ways. I would like to express my profound gratitude to Dr. Rewai Makamani for his excellent supervision and good guidance throughout this academic program. The same gratitude goes to my co-supervisor Ms Selma Ashikuti. I will be indebted if I don’t give my heartfelt thanks to Dr Nelson Mlambo for his constant words of encouragement and for the countless support he has offered me throughout my studies. Dr I cannot thank you enough. My sincere gratitude also goes to my parents: Mrs Angelina Shoopala Nashipeta and Mr Jasper J. Nashipeta and my cousin Mrs Reonol T. Shinana for their tireless efforts in rendering me all the support. The same gratitude goes to my best friend Mathew Kalimbo for his constant support and continued encouragement even in circumstances where I felt like I was doubting my abilities. I would like to thank my son Joseph Kalimbo for the patience during my studies. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my sister Annely Nashipeta and my friend Mirjam Mweulunda for all the effort they made to make certain that this thesis is a success. A special thanks also go to my friends Sussana Iipinge and Penelope Midzi for walking this academic path with me. iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my lovely son Joseph Kalimbo. iv DECLARATION I declare that this study is my original work. I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification in any other institution of higher learning. No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored in any other retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (e.g. electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise) without prior permission of the author, or the University of Namibia in that behalf. Where I used other people’s ideas I have referenced them as such. Signature…………………………………….. Date……………………………………. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ iv DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Statement of the problem....................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Research objectives ................................................................................................................ 4 1.4 Significance of the study ........................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Limitation of the study........................................................................................................... 5 1.6 Delimitation of the study........................................................................................................ 5 1.7 Organization of the study ...................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................... 6 LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................. 6 2.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 The Stylistics analysis theory ................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Defining healthcare communication ...................................................................................... 9 2.3 Health communication language ......................................................................................... 12 2.4 Stylistic principles used in health communication .............................................................. 14 2.4.1 The AIDA principle of advertisement .............................................................................. 14 2.4.2 Style ................................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.3 Foregrounding................................................................................................................... 16 2.4.3.1 Graphological foregrounding ........................................................................................ 17 2.5 Affective stylistics ................................................................................................................. 18 2.6 The target audience.............................................................................................................. 19 2.7 Illustrations and images ....................................................................................................... 20 2.8 Factors that affect persuasion in health care messages....................................................... 21 2.9 What entails an effective health massage? .......................................................................... 21 2.10 Persuasion focused semantics ............................................................................................ 22 2.11 Linking messages to pictures or visual images .................................................................. 24 2.12 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 26 vi CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................