@Article{crph739,
AUTHOR = {Adu, Evans Job and Mensah, Sarah Takyiwah and Yeboah, Anthony},
TITLE = {An Appraisal of Epistemic Modality in Selected State of the Nation Addresses},
JOURNAL = {Current Research in Public Health},
VOLUME = {3},
YEAR = {2023},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {29-42},
URL = {https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/UJLL/article/view/739},
ISSN = {2831-5162},
DOI = {10.31586/ujll.2023.739},
ABSTRACT = {Qualitatively, the study adopted a content analysis approach. There were eight State of the Nation addresses that the Ex-President John Kufour delivered during his tenure of office but only two of them are analysed in this study.  The purposive sampling approach was used to select two State of the Nation addresses samples. The State of the Nation addresses of two years were picked for the study. The years are: 16th February 2001, and 14th February 2008. The qualitative data was analysed by the use of the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the content analysis of the two speeches delivered by ex-president Kufour. Selective coding was used to code the occurrence of the categories of the epistemic modality expressions in the data. The epistemic modal elements as well as the sentences in which they occurred were then manually copied for further verification. These processes made the frequency count faster, more effective and more accurate. The data shows the relevant clauses or sentences containing modal expressions sampled within the contexts of epistemic meanings in the texts. The study has made it apparent that the expression of certainty is predominant. The data also indicates that the Ex-president has a greater tendency to use more modal adjuncts followed by the other modal auxiliary verb categories in expressing certainty in the selected State of the Nation Addresses during his State of the Nation Addresses. One question that arises is, why the Ex-president had a greater tendency to express more certainty in his State of the Nation Addresses. The answer is that Ex-president was fully sure and convinced of the information on the nation’s development and future programmes captured in the addresses. Thus, he appeared a confident, trustworthy and knowledgeable leader. Furthermore, the use of epistemic modality in the State of the Nation Addresses is neither haphazard nor coincidental. Instead, it is informed by reason of specific communicative intent. It is recommended that Public speakers and politicians should take the epistemic markers into consideration when writing the State of the Nation Address or any other texts in order to clarify shared opinion. It is also recommended that the Faculty of Language of the University of Education of Winneba should consider the concept of epistemic modality as a course of study in all various Language Departments including the Department of Communication Skills.},
}

%0 Journal Article
%A Adu, Evans Job
%A Mensah, Sarah Takyiwah
%A Yeboah, Anthony
%D 2023
%J Current Research in Public Health

%@ 2831-5162
%V 3
%N 1
%P 29-42

%T An Appraisal of Epistemic Modality in Selected State of the Nation Addresses
%M doi:10.31586/ujll.2023.739
%U https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/UJLL/article/view/739

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Adu, Evans Job
AU  - Mensah, Sarah Takyiwah
AU  - Yeboah, Anthony
TI  - An Appraisal of Epistemic Modality in Selected State of the Nation Addresses
T2  - Current Research in Public Health
PY  - 2023
VL  - 3
IS  - 1
SN  - 2831-5162
SP  - 29
EP  - 42
UR  - https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/UJLL/article/view/739
AB  - Qualitatively, the study adopted a content analysis approach. There were eight State of the Nation addresses that the Ex-President John Kufour delivered during his tenure of office but only two of them are analysed in this study.  The purposive sampling approach was used to select two State of the Nation addresses samples. The State of the Nation addresses of two years were picked for the study. The years are: 16th February 2001, and 14th February 2008. The qualitative data was analysed by the use of the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the content analysis of the two speeches delivered by ex-president Kufour. Selective coding was used to code the occurrence of the categories of the epistemic modality expressions in the data. The epistemic modal elements as well as the sentences in which they occurred were then manually copied for further verification. These processes made the frequency count faster, more effective and more accurate. The data shows the relevant clauses or sentences containing modal expressions sampled within the contexts of epistemic meanings in the texts. The study has made it apparent that the expression of certainty is predominant. The data also indicates that the Ex-president has a greater tendency to use more modal adjuncts followed by the other modal auxiliary verb categories in expressing certainty in the selected State of the Nation Addresses during his State of the Nation Addresses. One question that arises is, why the Ex-president had a greater tendency to express more certainty in his State of the Nation Addresses. The answer is that Ex-president was fully sure and convinced of the information on the nation’s development and future programmes captured in the addresses. Thus, he appeared a confident, trustworthy and knowledgeable leader. Furthermore, the use of epistemic modality in the State of the Nation Addresses is neither haphazard nor coincidental. Instead, it is informed by reason of specific communicative intent. It is recommended that Public speakers and politicians should take the epistemic markers into consideration when writing the State of the Nation Address or any other texts in order to clarify shared opinion. It is also recommended that the Faculty of Language of the University of Education of Winneba should consider the concept of epistemic modality as a course of study in all various Language Departments including the Department of Communication Skills.
DO  - An Appraisal of Epistemic Modality in Selected State of the Nation Addresses
TI  - 10.31586/ujll.2023.739
ER  -