Critical Discourse Analysis of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this project is to critically analyze Our Husband has Gone Mad Again by Ola Rotimi using Critical Discourse Analysis. Being that the analysis of a play is rarely done, the researcher is not aware of any previous attempt to do CDA of the text Our Husband has Gone Mad Again.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
DISCOURSE
The term “discourse” refers to language whether spoken or written, seen as a type of social writing. It is also the use of language in speech and writing.
According to the Oxford dictionary “Discourse is the use of language that is studied, usually in order to see how the different parts of a text are connected”. Discourse refers to expressing oneself using words’.
To discourse analysts, “discourse” usually means actual instances of communication in the medium of language. “Discourse” in this sense is usually a mass noun. Scholars influenced by Foucault (1972; 1980; 1990) sometimes use discourse in a related but somewhat different sense as a count noun. In this sense, discourse can be referred to as plural. Discourses are ideas as well as ways of talking that influenced and are influence by them.
Medubi (1987; 18) notes that discourse according to Chatman “is the expression and the how of a speech event.
According to Guy Cook (1989; 7) “Discourse may be composed of one or more well-formed grammatical sentences- and indeed it often is- but it does not have to be. It can have grammatical ‘mistake’ in it and often does. He says further that discourse treats the rule of grammar
As a resource, conforming to them when it needs to, but departing from them when it does not. It sometimes does the same with conventional meaning”.
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
The desire to achieve communicative competence in language functions prompted the evolution of Discourse Analysis. Michael Stubbs (1983:1), observes that “Discourse Analysis is a conglomeration of attempts to study the organization of language and therefore to study the larger linguistic units such as conversational exchanges or written texts”. It follows that discourse analysis is also concerned with language in use in social context and in particular, with interaction or dialogue between speakers.
Discourse Analysis will enable us to reveal the hidden motivations behind a text or behind the choice of a particular method of research to interpret that text. Every text is conditioned and inscribes itself within a given discourse. Discourse analysis will, thus, not provide absolute answers to a specific problem, but will enable us to understand the conditions behind that problem and make us realize that the essence of that problem and its resolution lies in its assumptions, those same assumptions that enable the existence of that problem. By enabling us to make these assumptions explicit, Discourse analysis aims at following us to view the problem from a higher stance and to gain a comprehensive view of the problem and ourselves in relation to that problem.
R. Firth saw that discourse analysis as not really a separate activity at all, but a pursuit in danger of evaporating into others. When ask how it is that we as language users make sense of what we read in texts, understand what speakers mean despite what they say, recognize connected as opposed to jumbled or incoherent discourse and successfully take part in that complex activity called “conversation”, then we are undertaking what is know as Discourse Analysis. Discourse Analysis sheds light on how speakers indicate their semantics intentions and how hearers interpret what they hear and on the cognitive abilities that underlie human symboluse.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CDA
The CDA as a network of scholars emerged in the early 1990’s, after a small symposium in Amsterdam, in January 1991. With the support of the University of Amsterdam, Teun Van Dijk, Norman Fairclough, Gunther Kress, Theo Van Leewan and Ruth Wodak spent two days together and had an opportunity to discuss the theories and methods of Discourse Analysis specifically CDA. The meeting made it possible for them to confront from each other the very distinct and different approaches which has definitely changed since 1991 but remained relevant in many respects.
CHAPTER THREE
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
This chapter is an attempt on carrying out a Critical Discourse Analysis of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband has Gone Mad Again, paying adequate attention to the specific linguistics selections such as interactional controls which include turn takings and topic changes, wording, reference, collocates, socio cultural practice, political issues in the text. All these will help us in the interpretation of the play so as to understand the overall message of the text.
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF OUR HUSBAND HAS GONE MAD AGAIN
In our textual analysis, here we are interested in finding out the different features of the text which contributes to our understanding of how language is used in particular situations in the text.
The features to be examined in the text are turn taking and topic change, wording, reference, collocates and in the social aspects, the social and political issues in the text will be analyzed.
INTERACTIONAL CONTROL
TURNTAKING- Essentially, two speakers’ converse in a conversation and it is abnormal when more than one person is talking at a time. Turn taking is the way each speaker takes turn in a conversation. Each speaker knows when it is his/her turn to speak in a conversation.
Examples of turn taking are as follows.
CHAPTER FOUR
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
Chapter one provides a general introduction to the study of CDA, the purpose of this research, scope, methodology and justification. It also describes the text that will be used for analysis and the background of the author.
Chapter two reviews the relevant literature in the field of CDA. The review comprised of certain elements and features of discourse, discourse analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis submitted and proposed by different scholars of this field which were used in the analysis. Three CDA theories by 3 different scholars were reviewed; Norman Fairclough, Ruth Wodak, Teun Van Dijk. The Norman Fairclough theory was chosen for the analysis of this text. The features discussed under this theory are interactional control, lexical cohesion, wordings, connectives and argumentation, social and political issues in the text.
Chapter 3 attempts the features for the analysis of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again.
FINDINGS
In the course of this study, some factors were discovered during the analysis of the text. They were discovered with the use of CDA elements used in this text which are interactional control, connectives and argumentative, wording, lexical cohesion, socio cultural and political issues.
The Subject Matter is that of gender inequality, the central symbol is that of politics.
In the textual analysis, the turn taking technique has shown the power relation between interlocutors in the conversations. Power relations have been shown by speakers in a higher position or class, that is, speakers who are more superior and tend to be in charge of a conversation than the other speaker. The turn taking has been influenced by factors such as age, culture, occupation, personality and education. Power relation has been shown by the author of the text which explains the Nigerian society in the text by how people relate with one another and shows superiority when taking turns.
The Socio cultural issues show how people’s culture affects their lives. Lejoka- Brown’s life shows the life of a typical African man with the Muslim religion and believes in everything it teaches. The Political issues in the text reflect the aims of political leaders in Nigeria through Lejoka-Brown.
The study of the text has shown that it is satirical since it points out the societal ills that reflect in the Nigerian society.
CONCLUSION
Finally in this study, at this point, the researcher appraises the writer for his special choice of language in the text to carry his readers along and for easy understanding in order to have deeper thought and to be able to make strong decision when needed. Ola Rotimi in his book Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again appreciates the Nigerian culture by the use of proverbs and Yoruba songs which portrays his own culture.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the view of this study, it will be recommended should endeavor to do a more thorough research and critical examination on the text, in order to analyze those elements that has not been handled or analyzed by the researcher. The writer has written some other books on “Drama” this indicates that another researcher can use any of the other books in the analysis of CDA, this will bring out more elements of CDA.
More so the lecturers of English language should endeavor to assist the students by helping them to know the elements of CDA, if not all of it, in order to help them analyze any work of art conveniently.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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- Luke, A. Theory and Practice in Critical Discourse Analysis. http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/ed270/luke/SAHA6.html, Retrieved 29,September, 2010.
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- Ojeleke, F. (2005). Discourse Analysis of Olu Obafemi’s Naira Has No Gender. B.A Thesis. Unilorin.