A Comparative Mood Analysis of the English Speeches of General Qamar Javed Bajwa and General Pervaiz Musharraf

Abstract

Mood refers to the transient emotional and mental state of an individual. This study delves into an examination of mood types present in the speeches of Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pervaiz Musharraf, drawing on M.A.K Halliday's theory. Its primary objective is to elucidate the prevalent mood structures within their speeches and to discern how these moods manifest the unique features of their oratory. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach and transcriptions of their speeches, the research scrutinized 316 lines of two army chiefs’ speeches. The findings unveiled the existence of three distinct mood types: declarative, interrogative, and imperative. Notably, Bajwa predominantly employed the declarative mood in 87% of his speech, while Musharraf consistently used it 90% of the time. The interrogative mood was a much rarer presence, appearing in just 1.15% of the speeches. The imperative mood featured in Bajwa's speech at a rate of 12% and in Musharraf's speech at 7.5%. It is worth noting that the declarative mood, which involves the provision of information, was the most frequently utilized mood in the speeches of both individuals.