AN EXAMINATION OF MOOD STRUCTURE IN SELECTED SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU OF TARABA STATE

Abstract

This research seeks to examine the choices and structural elements in selected speeches of Governor Ishaku Darius of Taraba State. This is done with a view to ascertaining the degree to which the sentences contained in the speeches are structurally related. The research adopted Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammatical approach as a basis through which the collected data were analysed. Through purposive random sampling approach, the data were collected, classified and analysed. The analysis revealed that Governor Darius Ishaku’s speeches are replete with two forms of mood structures – declarative and imperative. The declarative mood structures were carefully structured in the speeches examined in such a way that the listeners/readers will be able to see through what the speaker has done or declare to do. The imperative mood structures, on the other hand, help us to see through the mind of the speaker as to what needs to be attended to urgently.