AN ECOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF SALIENCE IN THE CAMEROONIAN NEWSPAPER

Abstract

Environmental communication plays a vital role in creating awareness about the importance of nature conservation, and actions needed and/or put in place to safeguard it. This research piece investigates discursive patterns that activate ecological salience in the Cameroonian newspaper. Analysis focused, firstly, on the identification and interpretation of pragma-linguistic entities marked with valorisation and conservation of the biophysical environment. The data comprised forty (40) newspaper articles selected from ten newspaper publishers in Cameroon. Salience-evoking elements in environmental texts were identified and interpreted using the ecolinguistic framework, specifically the model of deixis, postulated by Bang and Døør (1993). The descriptive statistical method (DSM) was used. This involved qualitative and quantitative analyses of the articles; starting with the identification, quantification and interpretation of linguistic and pragmatic entities in the texts. Findings revealed that the Cameroonian press tactfully used language categories depicting the ideals, relevance and conservation of the country’s ecosystems. Ecologically valorising markers found included adjectives, hedging, headlines and slogan, eco-dignifying metaphors and intertextuality (the evocation of texts relating to the beauty and conservation of nature). Generally, it was observed that the Cameroonian press used language strategically to project a positive image (importance) of her existing flora, fauna, reptiles and fish, and biosphere (water bosies, land and the atmosphere). Cognizant of the sustenance nature offers earthly life, it is prudent for the media to cover nature stories regularly, and in language forms that align with, and reinforce, global efforts to valorise, protect and conserve the ecosystem.