Beyond Spoken Linguistic Landscape: Semiotic Ideologisation of Regimented Practices in the Nigerian Army

Authors

  • God’sgift Ogban Uwen

    Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Hilary Idiege Adie

    Department of Public Administration, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Bassey Asukwo Ekpenyong

    Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Josephat Adoga Odey

    Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Vincent Ugah Uguma

    Department of Arts Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Sunday Tasen Okune

    Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Jenny Benjamin Inyang

    Department of Modern Languages and Translation Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.7016
Received: 8 August 2024 | Revised: 27 August 2024 | Accepted: 9 September 2024 | Published Online: 15 November 2024

Abstract

This article examines the dimensions of military ideologies that are tactically communicated through the semiotic mechanisms of the Nigerian Army’s regimented practices.  Data were sourced through participant observation and semi-structured interview in a fourteen-month fieldwork involving 22 staff members of the Nigerian Army. Drawing on insights from the concept of semiotic ideology to account for the underlying interpretations of semiotic practices in the social context of the Nigerian Army, the findings show various military ideologies nuanced in the agency’s semiotic-mediated activities and communication. Through the semiotic resources and significations embedded in the service uniforms, military funerals, hoisting and lowering of flags, military weddings and their salute system, the Nigerian Army is to seen to have maintained regimented performances of core military ideologies. Such practices constantly resonate ideologies of patriotism, courage, ruggedness, regimentation, comportment, subordinate-superior relationship, professionalism, perseverance and suppressive mien for victory in military battles. These beliefs present Nigerian Army’s personnel and their operating environment as regimented sites that consistently reproduce semiotic impulses that portray the agency as the totalistic organisation it propagates. Such performances through their unspoken actions help to rebuild and stabilise the psychology of the officers and men, enhance unwavering social bonding of soldiers, foster communication of professional identity and sustain the resilience of the troops as they work towards strengthening the workforce for the protection of the sovereignty of Nigeria.

Keywords:

Semiotic Ideology; Regimented Practices; Military Ideologies; Strategic Communication; Nigerian Army

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How to Cite

Ogban Uwen, G., Adie, H. I., Ekpenyong, B. A., Odey, J. A., Uguma, V. U., Okune, S. T., & Jenny Benjamin Inyang. (2024). Beyond Spoken Linguistic Landscape: Semiotic Ideologisation of Regimented Practices in the Nigerian Army. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(5), 712–724. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.7016

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Vol. 6 , Iss. 5 (November 2024)

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Copyright © 2024 Moussa Diagne Faye, Vini Yves Bernadin Loyara, Amadou Keita, Mamadou Diop, Angelbert Chabi Biaou, Mahamadou Koita, Hamma Yacouba

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