Keyword : Separatist fighters, Anglophone crisis, Coercion, Violence
Author(s) : Sirih-Nagang Nancy Nyindem, PhD
Abstract :
Language is a potent tool in crises, often used for violent purposes where the manipulation of lexemes can inflict psychological or physical harm. The Separatist Fighters (SF), during the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon that started in 2016, have managed to instill terror within the communities of the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon (North West and South West Regions) even without physical action or presence. Their frequent verbal messages and speeches shared on social media have been a powerful weapon. This study meticulously evaluates the elements of violence in the speeches of the SF, shedding light on the upheaval they cause in these communities. It delves into the linguistic patterns used by the Separatist Fighters in the Anglophone crisis, explicating the profound influence of their communication tactics. Through purposive sampling, the research focused on two Cameroon regions involved in the Anglophone crisis and exploited data from two towns within these regions. Also, using convenience sampling techniques, data was collected using semi-structured interviews with fifty (50) participants from various occupations, such as administrators, business owners, teachers, traditional leaders and students from Buea and Bamenda. Data was
obtained from messages shared on the WhatsApp social media communication forum and an independent news reporting network (mimimefos.com). Twenty (20) lexemes and twenty (20) syntactic expressions were identified, described and analysed using discourse analysis and relevance theory. The study demonstrated that through contextual and cultural context, the morphology and syntax of word forms express the covert message of violence and threat. It strongly underscores the link between language and war, revealing how language is used to propagate violence in the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon through strategies such as labelling and rhetorical devices like exaggeration, euphemism, metaphor, and figurative speech. From the findings, the study recommends that the speech of a chosen group of people be identified and described to understand the ideology of the particular group in crisis or a particular context in society.
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