Abstract:
This study investigates the use of epistemic modality in two selected State of the Nation
Addresses delivered by Ex-president John Agyekum Kufour of Ghana on 16th February,
2001 and 14th February, 2008respectively. The two texts were purposely selected,
closely read and analyzed through mixed method of qualitative and quantitative
dimensions. The analysis employs analytical frameworks of Kratzer’s Context dependency and Lexical Specialization and Halliday and Matthiessen Modal
Taxonomy. The study was to find out epistemic notions of certainty, uncertainty and
tentativeness through the comparative frequency of distribution and communicative
purposes of elements of modal auxiliary verbs, semi-modal verbs, modal lexical verbs
and modal adjuncts. The modal forms are quoted manually with the sentences,
electronically checked and then analyzed together for their epistemic meanings. The
total number of sentences containing the epistemic modal elements that is analysed is
112. There are a total of 14 representing 12.5% occurrences of modal auxiliary verbs
and 9 occurrences of modal adjuncts representing 8.05% while the remaining is shared
by adjuncts of intensity and adjuncts of temporality representing 25 representing
22.32% and 64 representing 57.14% respectively. The study reveals that the distribution
of epistemic modality devices was not uniform in terms of meaning and that modal
adjuncts are predominant in the expression of certainty. The study bears implications
for pedagogy, the theory of epistemic modality and discourse analytical studies on
political speeches, particularly, on the State of the Nation Address.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION, FACULTY OF
FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION COMMUNICATION, SUBMITTED TO
THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION,
WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (ENGLISH) OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
OCTOBER, 2015
