Ecolinguistic Analysis of Flood Representations in Select Nigerian Print Media Reports: The Conceptual Metaphor Approach

Abstract: The call for environmental protection has been a major preoccupation of academic enquiries. Its urgency has necessitated researches outside the natural science disciplines, contributing to this global concern. Consequently, the language discipline has discovered point of intersection, just as demanded by some of its renowned scholars. Adopting the conceptual metaphor approach, this paper hence, carries out an ecolinguistic analysis of discourses on flooding in select print media publications in Nigeria. Drawing insights from the Pragglejaz Group’s Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP), the needed data are sourced from four national daily newspapers published between the year 2012 and 2020. The selected data are analysed using the lens of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) as put forward by Lakoff and Johnson. The findings reveal that, concepts from the source domains of WAR, ANGRY MONSTER as well as CONTAINER SUBSTANCE, amongst others, have been adopted to talk about the target domain of flood. It posits that, these reports adopted these metaphors to reveal the conceptualization of flood as a catastrophe in the nation. The aim is to reawaken the need to manage and prevent flood disaster in the nation, and by extension, protect the environment from harm orchestrated by unfavourable natural and human influence. In conclusion, this study posits that, language is indispensable in addressing ecological issues. The evoked concepts reawaken our consciousness towards flood disaster management, which ensures environmental protection and sustainability. Keywords: Ecolinguistics, Ecology, Language, Conceptual Metaphor, Metaphor, Flooding, Print Media Discourses. Title: Ecolinguistic Analysis of Flood Representations in Select Nigerian Print Media Reports: The Conceptual Metaphor Approach Author: Ugomma Anaekperechi Agwuocha, Ephraim Chukwu, Prof. International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 11, Issue 2, April 2023 - June 2023 Page No: 101-112 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 22-April-2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7855068 Paper download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/ecolinguistic-analysis-of-flood-representations-in-select-nigeria-print-media-reports-the-conceptual-metaphor-approachInternational Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online), Research Publish Journals, Website: www.researchpublish.co