Citation

Osisanwo A, Shyllon O. Qeios 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Qeios)

DOI

10.32388/Q2IFF9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examined the voices and practs in Nigerian newspapers' reportage on suicide using three major Nigerian newspapers: _Nation_, _Punch_ and _Vanguard_. Data were subjected to a qualitative analysis using the theoretical tools of pragmatic acts theory and polyphony. In selected reportage, two categories of voices were discovered anonymous or named, and male or female voices. The presence of the voices is linguistically indicated by relativisation devices and person deixis which are used to convey the perspectives of the voices. The findings of the study further elucidated that no significant linguistic correlation exists between gender and suicide as reported by Nigerian newspapers. The practs deployed in Nigerian newspapers' reportage on suicide are mainly practs of backgrounding the suicide incident, describing the suicide incident, informing the readers and confirming the suicide incident.

Language: en