A Systemic Study of Modal Auxiliary and Lexical Verbs in Nigerian Political Manifestos

Abstract

Political manifestos state the objectives of political parties through diverse linguistic strategies. These linguistic strategies are paramount in the expression of varied intentions found in manifestos. Therefore, the research paper explored the use of modal and lexical verbs employed by politicians in conveying their political manifestos. The paper highlighted the use of modals to state various intentions, possibilities, promises, obligations and predictions. Data was collected through the 2015 and 2019 on-line manifestos of People Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC). The researchers also drew insights from the Systemic Functional Linguistics by analyzing the data functionally and structurally using the SPCA/MHQ formulas in Systematic Functional Linguistics. It was discovered that the political parties employed diverse modal auxiliary verbs to state their intentions, promises, obligations and possibilities. The findings also portrayed that the lexical verbs were utilized to state different resolutions and to make salient assertions. Therefore, the researchers discovered that the modal verbs had several semantic functions in the manifestos. It was concluded that, manifesto portrayed various types of claims, predictions, intentions, volitions, possibilities and obligations. They were employed by political parties to show political commitment and will.