Lexico-semantic analysis of names and slogans of Lesotho newspapers

Abstract

This article examines the naming of Sesotho and English newspapers published in Lesotho. It looks at the rationale behind names given to these newspapers. In cognisance of newspaper names as proper names, the article analyses the lexico-semantics of these names. It extends the analysis to the relationship between the name and slogan of the paper that is usually appended next to the name of such a newspaper within the framework of a hermeneutic content analysis. The article purposively sampled 21 newspaper names, with slogans appended to them, from the National University of Lesotho library archives. The findings revealed that newspaper names and their slogans are strategically chosen to become ambassadors of such newspapers through meanings embedded in their condensed form, which is a point that qualifies newspaper language as an interesting linguistic area for research.