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Title Semiotic Analysis of English as Media Language: A Colonial Perspective on Media language and its Nexus with President George W. Bush's Speechs

Author(s) Shahzad-ul-Hassan Farooqi

Abstract Semiotics has been inherent part of media and media discourse. It has also been exploited by the political leaders of all ages to construct a world view sanctioned by the power structure. However, after 9/11 semiotics was used to win people's sympathies and propagate ideas of American superiority and hegemony through media. The opportunity was also grabbed to influence the global public, using to the full, the advantage that the status of English as international language provided. American news media and President George W. Bush used colonial references in conventionalized linguistic practices to consolidate the nation in face of challenging danger and fan war hysteria to channelise the public opinion in war against terrorism. Colonial legacy, efficiency of modern mass media machine and international status of English provided an effective triangular tool to rally the western society as well as influence the entire world. Colonialism, which previously was a national phenomenon i.e restricted to particular nations, now became universal one because this time it has the most effective tool at its disposal to form and craft public opinion at massive scale—the media. Through comparative thematic analysis the study in hand reveals the linguistic features semiotically exploited by US. Print media and President Busad h's political discourse to create international public opinion in favour of their stance in war against terrorism. It is for the first time in history of the world that linguistic communication has that much far reaching impact. Such use of language is manipulative, hegemonic and leads to emergence of new colonialism under universalism, however, in today's horizontally segregated and vertically rifted world, the study of such semiotically organized linguistic communication, may help in creating homogeneity, streamlining governments and the public opinion and resolving conflicts in wider perspective.

Type Thesis/Dissertation PhD

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2011-01-01

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