A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CARTOONS FROM NIGERIAN DAILIES THE ‘GUARDIAN, THE PUNCH, AND THE NATION’

ABSTRACT

This work investigates how meaning is derived in an utterance through cartoons. It aimed at a pragmatic analysis of selected cartoons from these Nigerian dailies: The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation, in order to know the different functions of language in relation to context using Participants, Implicature, Inference, Presupposition, Intention, World Knowledge, Mutual Contextual Beliefs. The cartoons were chosen randomly for the analysis. It is found out that utterances are not uttered but for a purpose. At the end of the analysis we have been able to have understanding of how language is used to pass across some intended message.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

General introduction

Background to the study

Purpose of the study

Justification of the study

Scope of the study

Research methodology

Data description

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

Pragmatics a conceptualization

Theories of pragmatics

Elements of pragmatics 8

Participants

World knowledge

Presupposition

Implicature

Inference

Context

Intention

 Message

Mutual contextual beliefs

CHAPTER THREE: DATA ANALYSIS

Introduction

Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR:  SUMMARY, FINDING AND CONCLUSION

Introduction

Summary

Findings

Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                                                         

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0       INTRODUCTION

This chapter begins by giving the general background to the study. It then gives the purpose, the justification, the scope of the study, research methodology, data description and finally, it includes by giving a summary of a pragmatic analysis of selected cartoons from Nigerian dailies.” The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation”

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The power of language makes man so distinct and different from all other creatures. Language allows man to communicate since the effective communication means the appropriate use of language in a relevant content. This work intends to investigate how communication is achieved among interlocutors and language has been used as a means of conversation.

In everyday interactions, we use language to communicate with other people either in oral or within form. It has been observed that many newspaper readers do not show interest in cartoons reading as the way they do to other part, of the Newspaper. Meanwhile, there are many things to pass across to the readers through the cartoons. It is entertaining and informative.

Therefore, the main focus of this work is to look at the pragmatic features in a cartoon text, some selected cartoons from Nigerian dailies “The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation will be analyzed using features of pragmatics analysis.

1.2    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine the pragmatic features of cartoon from Nigerian dailies. The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation 2010. It also investigates how communication is achieved among the participant, how meaning is derived and the pragmatic features employed by cartoon writers to pass across their intended messages to readers.

1.3       JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

Interaction gives the meaning of certain word when an utterance is uttered. There is a need for a research work on this study to pay attention to on cartoons. By doing this, the pragmatic features and element will be identified. This will assist students and readers to read cartoons at their leisure time.

1.4       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is being carried out using cartoons as a data from Nigerian dailies The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation. The cartoon chosen are twelve in all, these cartoons will cover three (3) months editions 2010 i.e August, September and October 2010. Some chosen features of pragmatic analysis include Context, Participants, Mutual Contextual Beliefs (MCBs), Intention, Message, Inference, Pre-supposition, Implicature, Reference and World Knowledge.

1.5     RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The data for this study are cartoons selected from Nigerian dailies “The Guardian, The Punch, The Nation. This research work will cover three months edition of newspapers published in the month of August, September and October 2010. The cartoons are twelve in all.  Examples of the pragmatic features used will be identified in the conversation of characters in the text.

1.6    DATA DESCRIPTION

The data chosen for this research work are cartoons selected from Nigerian dailies “The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation. Cartoons are interaction between two or more people, these people are usually sketched with a box pointing towards each of them. It contains their various utterances, some are political others are not .e.g Adult, Children and Government etc. The cartoonists of the selected cartoons are Femora, Neearo, Prasad Golla, Edun, Didi Onu, Obe ESS, Mayowa Adetula, Tayo Olujimi, Chukky, Stanley and Azeez Sanni.