Abstract
Previous works on the analysis of anthems have focused on unearthing encoded latent meanings through the analysis of linguistic devices such as cohesive devices, deictic expressions, figures of speech, content words and clauses. However, the analysis of institutional anthems as a sub-genre of anthems has received minimal attention in linguistic research. The current study therefore adopts a qualitative exploratory procedure to conduct a transitivity analysis of process types and their encoded implications in selected Ghanaian university anthems underpinned by the transitivity framework by Halliday and Matthiessen (2014). The sample for the study is composed of anthems of four main or traditional universities in Ghana. The four anthems that serve as data for the study are anthems of University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Ghana (UG) and University of Education, Winneba (UEW). The consensual coding strategy is used to check the validity of the coding process. The results indicate a preponderant use of material processes to spell out the expected actions to be taken by members of the universities to inure to the holistic progress of their institutions. Other process types such as relational, mental and verbal processes are minimally used to establish relationships, eulogize and personify the universities as important institutions worthy of praise. The study concludes that the creation of institutional solidarity was better represented through the analysis of process types in the selected Ghanaian university anthems. The implications of this study unveil the importance of university anthems in the representation of the goals, visions and missions of universities and recommend that tertiary institutions who use adopted anthems could relook at that by getting to compose their own anthems in alignment with the goals, vision and mission underpinning their establishment.
Highlights
Language is a medium of communication with multifaceted functions
The frequency distribution of process types in the selected anthems as shown in table 4 corroborates earlier studies on anthems (Souza, 2008; Mwinlaaru, 2012; Wang and Ma, 2018) which establish that the dominant process types used in anthems are the material processes followed by the relational processes and the mental processes
The study concludes that university anthems express inexhaustible meanings which were sufficiently unearthed through the analysis of process types in the selected Ghanaian university anthems
Summary
Language is a medium of communication with multifaceted functions. The varied functions of language are manifested in its use in various aspects of society such as in the media, health, education, law, politics, and in other fields. Various groups of people use language as a unifying force to pull their members together in order to achieve their collective aims. Continents, international organisations, nations, political parties and other institutions are bonded by their commonality of core values and mission articulated through language use. One aspect of society that makes a maximum use of language is the academic field. It is used in every field of academia to impart knowledge
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
