Tenor in Electronic Media Christian Discourse in South Western Nigeria

Abstract

The paper examines tenor in electronic media discourse in Nigeria. Tenor is one of the register variables identified by Systemic linguistics. The paper looks at how preachers use their social role to relate with their audience in such media discourses as radio, television. The preacher is usually the dominant speaker so he determines how his imaginary audience will respond to his message. Electronic media preachers in Nigeria explore the linguistic resources by choosing utterances that increase their power to control the discourse. The force of their interrogative and imperative power is used to elicit responses from their imaginary listener/reader. Whichever electronic media used, the personal tenor of the discourse is that of the preacher as the knower/expert, while the listener/audience is the non-knower. The functional tenor of the communication is persuasion, exhortation and challenge. An awareness of tenor by electronic media preachers makes it possible for them to achieve their goal through their choice of the appropriate linguistic resources.