Abstract
The paper investigated use of metaphor in contemporary Nigerian political discourse with the aim of revealing the multi-faceted patterns of metaphoric language in order to examine the creativity in political communication. The data were derived from a variety of illustrative texts sourced from Nigerian newspapers and magazines that are circulated nationwide. The study employed the cognitive linguistics approach originated by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson to discuss the two significant metaphor themes of war and journey in the corpus data. The findings showed that metaphors are used as persuasive strategy and manipulative tool by politicians. The metaphors of war revealed that politics is typically conceived of as warfare with the primary aim of winning elections at all costs and the metaphors of journey depicted a nation in search of solutions to socio-economic problems and moving towards nationhood. The study concluded that the use of metaphor in political discourse is not just an ornamental device but a necessary feature of political communication. This research will extend the existing perspective on the rhetorical imperative in the deployment of metaphor in Nigerian political discourse.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callMore From: International Journal of Language, Literature and Culture
Disclaimer: 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.
