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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0  Preamble

 Language is a critical part of existence that is fundamental to human life and living; one of the chief attributes that separate humans from other creatures. It is an embracing form of human activity that has a resultant effect on every aspect of life, the property of which we build, demolish and rebuild individual and social identities in the society. Language differentiates man from other creatures and seems to be his unique impact in biological evolution, according to Corcoran (1979). We communicate, transact business, bond with others, show love, persuade, educate, gossip, alienate and prevaricate, principally using the mode of spoken and written language. We speak, read and think with language. Language is one of the important cords that bind a society together and Pavlov (1927/1960) places emphasis on its importance in society when he asserts: “it is nothing other than words which has made us human”, Harley (2003: v).

“Language is an instrument of control as well as communication”, Kress and Hodge (1979:6). People can be both informed and manipulated by language and can in turn inform and manipulate others. Thus, language has the fundamental advantage of being utilised not only for communication, but for changing the opinions of others and shaping ideas in the minds of those who listen or read. Linguistic forms often allow meaning to be conveyed or to be distorted. Thus, hearers can be both manipulated and informed, or even manipulated while they erroneously think they are being informed (Kress and Hodge: ibid).

Firth (1964:14) also explicitly states the fact that language wields great influence with the following statement: 

There is no doubt about this power of speech to mobilize strong feelings, common prejudices, common desires, common fears, and all forces of public opinion. Speech may let loose an army of devils, may literarily create pandemonium. It also commands great forces, great alliances, and in writing has by its conquest created man’s new world.

Sometimes we speak or write through the principles of what we believe in, who we are, who we hope to be, what we stand for, who we are trying to persuade/convince and what we are hoping to achieve. If language is employed in any of these dimensions, then we are making use of its ideological potentials. If language is a powerful vehicle employed in daily pursuits, then its ideological capabilities remain one of its veritable passengers, Fairclough (1989:37).  “But despite its importance for language, the concept of ideology has very much rarely figured in discussions of language and power within linguistics”, Fairclough (ibid.).

The focus of this study is an investigation of ideological embedding in editorials of two Nigerian newspapers The Guardian and Daily Trust. At this point, it would be prudent to define what embedding means in the context of this study. In generative grammar, embedding can be defined as the process by which one clause is included in another. This meaning is however not applicable to this study as the research concentration is on the literal sense, the