Abstract

Studies on the social management of HIV/ AIDS in Nigeria have focused on how awareness about HIV/AIDS has been created through electronic media campaigns and organised interpersonal communication. These studies have not investigated context-constrained language use in the advertisements in respect of the disease despite the wide coverage and potential effectiveness of these advertisements in the public sensitisation about HIV/AIDS. Applying aspects of the speech act theory to the texts of twenty-five advertisements broadcast to all African countries on both private and government owned television stations by African Broadcast Media, this study investigates the locutionary acts performed in the adverts at the level of vocabulary usage. Findings include vocables relating to medical activities, bonding, intimacy and accomplishment, selected for specific pragmatic purposes. Others are lexical interaction, manifesting mainly as antonyms; and audience and message constrained presentation and perceived effects which cover the simplicity of the language of the adverts and their measured positive impact on the audience in Ogun State. Given the effectiveness of the language of the adverts, policy makers and other stakeholders could further develop the linguistic tool as an intervention mechanism in the management of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria. 

Key Words:  Social Management, HIV/AIDS, Advertisements, Language Use,  Locutionary Acts.

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, April 2013, 183 – 194.  

©Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the authors

*Dr. Akin Odebunmi is a Lecturer in the Department English, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

*Toyin Makinde  is a Lecturer in the Department of English, School of Languages, Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Full Article

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