Abstract
This paper is an attempt to analyze one of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s speeches made in his bid to effect justice and equity from the Federal Government of Nigeria to his oppressed people, the Ogonis of the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. The paper highlights the use of appropriate lexical items by the speaker to achieve specific aims. For instance, the lexical choice made by the speaker for the expression of group ideologies and for the expression of the ideological orientations of the Niger Delta struggle, such as resource control, self determination and environmental pollution. The main argument of this research is that language is a useful tool that can be employed in the conception, conduct and control of social conflict and that language is a significant instrument in socio- political discourse. Keywords: Ideology, in-group, rut-group, Resource control, self- determination. DOI : 10.7176/JLLL/60-04 Publication date :September 30 th 2019
Highlights
Language can be described as a very significant means of communication and a vehicle for conveying meaning and useful information and as a result of the significant function it plays in every human society, many believe that it is an indispensable tool to man
What we find here is a deliberate exploitation of discourse by Saro-Wiwa to separate his cultural in-group from certain out-groups in the society
What we have tried to do here is to explore how language has been used to expose the ideological orientation of a people
Summary
Language can be described as a very significant means of communication and a vehicle for conveying meaning and useful information and as a result of the significant function it plays in every human society, many believe that it is an indispensable tool to man. Conflict The word “conflict” can be used to denote differences and disagreements between two individuals, groups, states and nations. Conflicts usually occur when there are misunderstandings, disagreements, oppositions, disharmony, rivalry, and differences in opinion, hostilities and conflicts of interest between two individuals or groups At another level, conflicts may be defined in relation to war between two opposing forces or groups. According to Zaidi (2012:71): Language and ideology as an instrument in the hands of the powerful has an overarching hold on people. It is through the combine of language and ideology that status quo is maintained in society and truths and falsehoods are spread and crystallized. In the area of politics, ideology can be seen as a mechanism through which one ruling class attempts to deceive and control the masses
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