Abstract
This study seeks to apply speech act theory to the analysis of Frank Ogodo Ogbeche’s ‘Harvest of Corruption’ on the basis of a mixed method. It aims at identifying, analyzing and interpreting the different speech acts in the selected play for the purpose of decoding meanings. The results show that through representative acts the author has depicted thoroughly heinous practices that affect negatively the development of African countries. Through directive, he is inviting political authorities to look at the pitiful state of their countries. Through commissive, he is indicating how governments should commit themselves to take measures to clean up public services. Expressive acts have enabled him to express sorrow and feeling of desperation in regards to the pitiful state of African countries. Through declarative, he indicates how immediate changes can be operated by sentencing all guilty authorities to many years of imprisonment. These results have enabled the researcher to contend that the author has directly and indirectly depicted African countries in general and more specifically Nigeria as characterized by embezzlement, drug dealing, bribery and corruption, abuse of the public offices, betrayal of people’s trust.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0917/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
Highlights
IntroductionIn their everyday life in human societies, people permanently express their needs to their peers and exchange with them their ideas or opinions about specific issues
Language is the tool that enables people to communicate. It is in Ngara (1982)’s terms: “An exclusively human property consisting of a system of sounds, words, structures and meanings; that is a symbolic system which does not necessarily show a one-to-one correspondence between itself and the physical world it refers to... it is a social convention which changes over time and is extremely adaptable to new conditions” (Ngara, 1982: 10)
Aloho uses representative speech acts to denounce corruption and its drawbacks that she is harvesting in Nigeria on the one hand and describe her own pitiful situation of desperate lady. 13-This country is bad (R) 32-and I am pregnant (R). 33-I think I have started the harvest of corruption.”
Summary
In their everyday life in human societies, people permanently express their needs to their peers and exchange with them their ideas or opinions about specific issues. Language is the tool that enables people to communicate It is in Ngara (1982)’s terms: “An exclusively human property consisting of a system of sounds, words, structures and meanings; that is a symbolic system which does not necessarily show a one-to-one correspondence between itself and the physical world it refers to... Since language is extremely adaptable to new conditions, speakers purposefully use language in particular ways. Such particular ways are made possible by the social context-dependent characteristics of language. In this respect, interactants need to consider the context in which a speech event takes root so as to convey successfully messages. Whenever a speaker produces an utterance, he/she intends to perform an act. Searle (1976) views speech acts as the basic or minimal units of linguistic communication (Searle, 1976: 16)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
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 call
