Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Metaphorical Conceptualisations in the Religious Tweets of a Nigerian Politician

Adamma Maryann Nnamele, Zalina Mohd Kasim

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i11/19483

Open access

Communicating with the masses is the life-blood of politicians and it is vital that politicians are adept at using language to win the masses over to themselves. This study seeks to examine conceptual metaphors in the tweets of a Nigerian politician in order to unravel the discourse value of the linguistic metaphors contained in the selected tweets. The politician, Senator Dino Melaye, uses several metaphors in his tweets, which happen to be religious in nature. The objectives of the study are to identify the linguistic metaphors contained in the religious tweets and examine the underlying conceptual metaphors in the politician’s tweets. Using Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and Metaphor Identification Procedure by Pragglejaz Group, the metaphoricity of his prayer points is analyzed to determine the underlying conceptual metaphors. The findings show that some domains have more linguistic expressions than others. WAR is the most frequently used source domain as it has the highest number of metaphorical expressions. Based on the analysed data, this study reveals that he employs these metaphors to evoke certain notions in his followers. The study further strengthens the literature that metaphor is a powerful tool for persuasion.

Aeon, C. J. (2018). Are humans good or bad? Here’s the prognosis, according to psychology. Retrieved January 10, 2020 from https://scroll.in/article/904891/are-humans-good-or-bad-heres-the-prognosis-according-to-psychology
Alkhawaldeh, A. A. (2021). Persuasive Strategies of Jordanian Government in Fighting Covid-19. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies. 21(1), 274-293.
Al-Ubaidy, S. M. (2012). Conceptual Metaphors in Religious Texts. Al-Adab. 1(99), 413-436.
Apyewen, U. A. (2020). The use and abuse of religion: Implications in Nigerian society. Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, 5(2), 14-20.
Awwad, S., Tartory, R., Johar, M. G. M., Ab Yajid, M. S., & Ariffin, I. A. (2021). Use of rhetoric and metaphorical expressions in Jordanian political discourse (speeches): an exploratory study. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 162-170.
Baab, L. (2015). Why “journey” works so well as a metaphor for faith. Retrieved February 23, 2020 from https://www.lynnebaab.com/blog/why-journey-works-so-well-as-a-metaphor-
Barberá, P., Jost, J. T., Nagler, J., Tucker, J. A., & Bonneau, R. (2015). Tweeting from left to right: Is online political communication more than an echo chamber? Psychological Science. 26(10), 1531-1542. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797615594620
Bassi, N. (2019). A Contrastive Analysis of Metaphors Belonging to the Basic Conceptual Metaphor PEOPLE ARE PLANTS in English and Croatian. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Zagreb, Zagreb.
Basson, A. (2006). ‘People Are Plants’– a Conceptual Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible. Old Testament Essays. 19(2), 573-583.
Berrada, K. (2007). Food Metaphors: A Contrastive Approach. Metaphorik.de. 13, 7-38.
Bracciale, R., & Martella, A. (2017). Define the populist political communication style: the case of Italian political leaders on Twitter. Information, Communication & Society. 20(9), 1310-1329.
Bystrov, Y. (2014). Fractal metaphor LIFE IS A STORY in biographical narrative. Topics in Linguistics. 14(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2014-0007
Charteris-Black, J. (2006). Politicians and Rhetoric: The Persuasive Power of Metaphor. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
DesCamps, M. T., & Sweetser, E. E. (2005). Metaphors for God: Why and How Do Our Choices Matter for Humans? The Application of Contemporary Cognitive Linguistics Research to the Debate on God and Metaphor. Pastoral Psychology. 53(3), 207-238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-004-0554-5
Flusberg, S. J., Matlock, T., & Thibodeau, P. H. (2018). War metaphors in public discourse. Metaphor and Symbol. 33(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926488.2018.1407992
Forceville, C. J., & Renckens, T. (2013). The 'good is light' and 'bad is dark' metaphor in feature films. Metaphor and the Social World. 3(2), 160-179. https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.3.2.03for
Gainous, J., & Wagner, K. M. (2014). Tweeting to power: The social media revolution in American politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Harrison, V. S. (2007). Metaphor, Religious Language, and Religious Experience. Sophia. 46(2), 127-145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11841-007-0018-3
Harrison, M. I. (2017). Declaring War On Christian War Metaphors. Retrieved July 5, 2020 from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/declaring-war-on-christiain_b_12428856
ICSI (2014). Metaphor: IDEAS ARE FOOD. Retrieved July 5, 2020 from https://metaphor.icsi.berkeley.edu/pub/en/index.php/Metaphor:IDEAS_ARE_FOOD
Imani, A. (2021). What 'Corona War' Metaphor Means in Iranian Political Discourse. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies. 21(4), 329-341.
Johnson, M. (1987). The body in the mind. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Kamalu, I., & Iniworikabo, P. B. (2016). Metaphors in Selected Political Speeches of Nigerian Democratic Presidents. California Linguistic Notes. 40(2), 71-84.
Khan, I., & Ahmad, S. (2017). Conceptual Metaphors for life in Pashto. Central Asia Journal. 81, 73-88.
Kibbey, T. E. (2017). Religious Metaphor and Structural Complexity. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation].University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Klingbeil, M. (1999). Yahweh Fighting from Heaven: God as Warrior and as God of Heaven in the Hebrew Psalter and Ancient Near Eastern Iconography. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/151084/1/Klingbeil_1999_Yahweh_Fighting_from_Heaven.pdf
Knepper, T. (2019). Using the ‘journey metaphor’ to restructure philosophy of religion. Palgrave Communications. 5(43), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0252-7
Kovesces, Z. (2010). Metaphor. A Practical Introduction (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kuczok, M. (2014). Conceptual metaphors for LIFE in English and Polish. Various Dimensions of Contrastive Studies Szczyrk. 27-28.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980a). Language, Thought, and Culture. In Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980b). Conceptual Metaphor in Everyday Language. The Journal of Philosophy. 77(8), 453-486. https://doi.org/10.2307/2025464
Lakoff, G., Espenson, J., & Schwartz, A. (1991). The Master Metaphor List. Draft 2nd ed. Technical Report. California: University of California.
Levine, S. (2019). If We Humans Are So Good, Why Are We So Bad? Retrieved May 26, 2020 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-emotional-footprint/201909/if-we-humans-are-so-good-why-are-we-so-bad
Makice, K. (2009). Twitter API: Up and Running. First Edition. California: O’Reilly Media.
Martin, P. C. (2013). The explanatory and reflective domain of metaphor in the comparisons of religions. Journal of Science and Religion. 48(4), 936-956. https://doi.org/10.1111/zygo.12054
Nurul, H. J., & Kasim, Z. M. (2014). The Employment of Metaphors in Najib’s Speeches on Economy. Malaysian Journal of Languages and Linguistics (MJLL). 3(1), 56-66.
Nyssonen, I. (2017). Metaphors in L2 sermons as expressions of holiness. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla.
Parmelee, J., & Bichard, S. (2013). Politics and the Twitter Revolution: How Tweets Influence the Relationship Between Political Leaders and the Public. Washington DC: Lexington Books.
Pragglejaz Group. (2007). MIP: A Method for Identifying Metaphorically Used Words in Discourse. Metaphor and Symbol. 22(1), 1–39. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10926480709336752
Putman, F. (2014). YHWH is farmer; People are plants. Retrieved May 26, 2020 from https://templetonhonorscollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/YHWH-is-a-Farmer-People-are-Plants-by-Dr.-Fred-Putnam.pdf
Rosinska, F. S. (2016). The Comparison of A HUMAN BEING IS A PLANT Metaphor between the English and Polish Language. World Journal of Social Science. 3(1), 15-21. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjss.v3n1p15
Shah, A. S., Ibrahim, F. I., Yunus, N., & Shamshudeen, R. I. (2014). Metaphor of ‘Progress’: A Metaphoric Rhetorical Criticism on Aminuddin Baki’s Torch Movement Speech 2. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 155(2014), 526-532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.334
Shokr, M. A. (2006). The Metaphorical Concept “Life is a Journey” in the Qur’an. Metaphorik.de. 10, 94-132.
Silvestre-López, A. J. (2020). Conceptual metaphor in meditation discourse: An analysis of the spiritual perspective. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies. 20(1), 35-53.
Subiyanto, P., Bagus, I., Mbete, A. M., & Brata, F. M. (2019). Conceptualization of God in the Book of Psalm: A Study of Metaphor Based on Cognitive Theory. Education and Linguistics Research. 5(1), 46-53. https://doi.org/10.5296/elr.v5i1.14594
Taiwo, R. (2013). Metaphors in Nigerian political discourse. In Nils-Lennart Johannesson and David C. Minugh. (Eds). Selected papers from the 2008 Stockholm metaphor festival, 193-205. Stockholm: Stockholm University.
Tracy, D. (1978). Metaphor and Religion: The Test Case of Christian Texts. Critical Inquiry. 5(1), 91-106.
Tseng, M. Y. (2017). Primary Metaphors and Multimodal Metaphors of Food: Examples from an Intercultural Food Design Event. Metaphor and Symbol. 32(3), 211-229. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926488.2017.1338027
Wicke, P. & Bolognesi, M. M. (2020). Framing COVID-19: How we conceptualize and discuss the pandemic on Twitter. PLoS ONE. 15(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240010
Wrangham, R. (2019). Are Humans Good or Evil? A Primatologist Looks to Our Ancestors for the Answer. Retrieved May 15, 2020 from https://heleo.com/humans-good-evil-primatologist-looks-ancestors-answer/20303/
Young, E. (2019). Metaphors Matter: Seeing Our Achievements As “Completing A Journey” Helps Maintain Success. Retrieved May 4, 2020 from https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/08/16/metaphors-matter-seeing-our-achievements-as-completing-a-journey-helps-maintain-success/

N/A