LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Love and Language -
A Socio-rhetorical Analysis of Love Texts on a
Ghanaian Radio Network

Wincharles Coker, B.Ed., M.Phil.

Abstract

While research in rhetorical analysis has focused predominantly on academic writing, little is known of the moves employed in relatively new modes of computer-mediated communication. This paper, therefore, examines the rhetorical structure of text messages posted by listeners, most of whom are university students, to express love to their partners on one of the most patronised shows of a local campus radio network in Ghana.

Based on a combined framework of Mann and Thompson's rhetorical structure theory and Swales' rhetorical move approach, results show that radio love text mesages bear a generic four-move structure. The study also reveals that the elaboration step is the nucleus of a love text, given that it involves a three-tiered sub-move which tends to be either romantic or erotic in nature.

Further, the research shows that men deployed more affectionate lover address forms than their female counterparts, thereby contradicting the extant literature on gendered language. These findings hold implications for further research in gender studies, computer-mediated communication and mass communication research.

Key words: rhetoric, move, nucleus, text message, texter

Introduction

For decades, the concept of 'rhetoric' in language studies has been predominantly rooted in academic writing. In recent times, however, current research emphasises disciplinary variation with the goal to enable learners function aptly in specific discourse communities (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Kusell, 1992; Thompson, 2001). From this perspective, rhetoric is seen as the generic or organisational structure of language use beyond the sentence, taking into account such elements as purpose, context and audience (Afful, 2005). The organisational structure is segmented by so-called moves, that is, sub-commuicative units that help to realise a writer's or speaker's communicative purpose.

However, following the emergence of SMS in the early 1990s research into its rhetorical strucutre has largely been ignored. This gap is understandably clear given the fous of past research on texting. In what follows, I first sketch a vignette of the extant literature with the view to pointing out what remains untreated. Next, I discuss the theoretical framework underpinning the study and present the methodology adopted. This will be followed by a detailed analysis and discussion of data, whereupon I will conclude with a summary and implications for future research.

Review of Previous Scholarship on Texting

Research on texting spans exactly two decades. As said earlier, previous studies have largely focused on the linguistic, sociolinguistic and communicative approaches to texting.

Three Basic Sociolinguistic Maxims in Texting

Thurlow's (2003) analysis of text messages among first-year language and communication students at the University of Cardiff has revealed that texting is underpinned by three basic sociolinguistic maxims. These are brevity and speed, paralinguistic restitution and phonological approximation. Examples of linguistic processes instantiated by brevity and speed include the abbreviation of lexical items, the minimal use of capitalisation, standard and grammatical punctuation.

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