Ehibor, Oremire Judith and Adesiyan, Rebecca Uduakobong and Awogu-Maduagwu, Edith Abisola (2024) Linguistic Inference in Leadership. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22 (2). pp. 12307-12317. ISSN 2221-7630;P-ISSN: 1727-4915
![[img]](http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png) |
PDF
Download (595kB) |
Abstract
Language, a communication tool in every society, is vital in leadership, thus, the role language plays in leadership can never be over-emphasised because it is the medium through which leaders lead, and are understood by their followers. A leader’s language choice to a large extent, accounts for his/her leadership style, and reveals effectiveness/ineffectiveness in leadership. It is on this premise that this study assesses linguistic inference in leadership. Working within the tenets of Halliday’s (1994) Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), the study analyzes textual linguistic expressions employed by leaders, revealing thoughts, intents, values, etc. through language use, communication style, and discourse patterns, and how they reflect on leadership. Engaging the qualitative method of data analysis, the study examines the speeches of Nigerian leaders in the political and business sectors - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Aliko Dangote’s speeches respectively. Findings revealed that the choice of words of leaders constitutes their leadership style, resulting in effective or ineffective leadership. It concludes that, leaders’ effective communication gives birth to individual/organisational support in leadership which in turn, produces effective leadership. The study recommends that more attention should be given to language use/communication in leadership for effective leadership, and this would also curb enormous generalisation of leadership communication style.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Communication Inference Leadership Linguistics Systemic Functional Grammar |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) P Language and Literature > PE English |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics > School of Engineering Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Patricia Nwokealisi |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Feb 2025 11:26 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Feb 2025 11:26 |
| URI: | http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/18808 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
