Towards a New Culture: Metapragmatics and Newspaper Headlines in Present Day Nigeria

Abstract

Media discourse forms an important aspect of social’ discourse which not only sets the agenda for talk, but also predefines attitudinal consensus. This essay examines how the press is ideologically committed to reflecting new realities in Nigeria during the first six months of democratic rule. It examines the exploitation of the language of Newspaper headlines in reflecting a new culture of accountability and the rule of law against the immediate past military dictatorship. The investigation assumes the use of a particular type of linguistic construction called Metapragmatics. The study among other things shows that certain issues as so topical that they are decisively brought to the headlines as a manifestation of culture change against the background of what has been.