Conceptual Metaphors of Corruption in Selected Newspapers in Nigeria

Conceptual Metaphors of Corruption in Selected Newspapers in Nigeria

Background to the Study

Language is a fundamental element used by humans for the purpose of communication. There are highly technical usages of the word “language” reflecting the way the term has been figuratively applied to all forms of human endeavours, such as the language of politics, the media and the like. Language is essentially a tool for expressing social reality. It plays a communicative role in all forms of discourse. In political discourse, politicians engage in different rhetorical uses of language to achieve their political goals. One of the obvious rhetorical strategies used in political discourse is indirect language. This is made possible by the changeable nature of word meanings which, according to Warren(qtd in Taiwo 193), is negotiable and dynamic. This nature of word meaning makes it possible to assign references that are not usually found in dictionary descriptions. Indirect language is often used when politicians have to talk about political risk topics, and often directly linked to certain factors like the protection of their careers, their desire to gain political and interactional advantage over their opponents, politeness, and so forth, (Obeng50). The concept of corruption is one abstract phenomenon that is frequently evoked by journalists in news reporting and editorials with an underlying assumption that the meaning is universally self-evident. Although scholars and journalists might work with an implicit assumption that there is a universal understanding of what constitutes corruption (Karklins 4–5), it is in fact a highly contested concept that triggers discussion and scholarly arguments. Corruption, as noted by Heidenheimer (3), has had different 2 meanings and expressionsthroughout thecenturies. For Carl Friedrich, it is a kind of behaviour which deviated from the norm, actually prevalent or believed to prevail in a given context, such as the political (15). Contemporary attempts to define corruption tend to cluster around a more restricted notion,that of abuse of public power for private gain. The problem of defining corruption is further complicated by the fact that the semantic universe of this concept is populated by additional related conceptswhose meaning partially overlaps corruption; such as bribery, embezzlement, favouritism and nepotism. It is believed that these concepts have almost the same magnitude of abstraction and lack universal definition as a result of the nature of the overlap within a socio cultural context (Bratu and Kazoka 6–7). However, the general assumption of corruption is that it is widespread,interwined in the society, rampart and ubiquitous. It is out of control. It thrives and it is deeply entrenched in the society.Okunrinmeta and Alabi (69) noted that corruption occurs when the moral fabric is weakened and vices such as avarice, materialism, short cut to affluence, glorification and abrogation of ill got wealth are celebrated at the expense of honesty, hard work, patriotism, community service, commitment and selfless devotion, which ought to have been taken as symbols of national pride.

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