A Rhetorical Analysis of Gikuyu Radio Advertisements
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Date
2014-10-09
Authors
Mirigi, Susan Njeri
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Advertisements assume an important role as they introduce and parade products and services to consumers. They are often considered by marketers as the ground-breaking informants on any new products and services to target consumers. They take a particular stance in relation to the products they parade. In spite of this, they have not been studied adequately especially in terms of structure.
Based on the Rhetorical Structure Theory, this study will focus on the structure of Gikuyu advertisements. Rhetorical Structure Theory is a theory of text organization which
provides a framework for the analysis of a text. The Rhetorical Structure Theory mechanisms and its application to Gukuyu advertisements will be used. Persuasive strategies will also be studied with a view to establishing how they apply in the language of the Gukuyu advertisements. The logical connectors that enhance the interaction between the text and the audience will also be investigated. The data to be used will be tape recorded advertisements from Inooro radio station and from four types of advertisements. In terms of the organisation, part one will give the background of the study, the scope and limitations as well as the motivation for the study. Part two will show what other studies have done on advertisements, text linguistics and persuasion and thus clearly show the gap this study seeks to fill. Further, the part will discuss the Rhetorical Structure Theory, its tenets and applications and show how they will apply to this study. Part three will include the methodology in terms of data collection and analysis. A descriptive research design will be used.Eight advertisements from lnooro radio station will purposively selected for analysis.
The data will be analysed in tables and charts. The structures will be presented in RST
diagrams and will show how the advertisements are rhetorically organised.
Description
A research project submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Masters of Arts in English and Linguistics, July 2015