The ‘rise and fall’ of a genre: The generic and rhetorical renditions of a Runyankore-Rukiga editorial

Abstract

This article explores the discursive practice of editorial writing in Runyankore-Rukiga print media. It also explicates the generic structure of Runyankore-Rukiga editorial text and the rhetorical devices that the editorial writers have invoked to comment on issues that affect society across different times of history. Using genre analysis, the article analyses a diachronic corpus of editorial texts across Ugandan local newspapers from 1955 to 2010. The article demonstrates that while the construction of a Runyankore-Rukiga editorial appears to conform to the architectural structure of an English editorial (Ansary and Babaii 2005), it does not adhere to its rhetorical moves and the attendant argumentation principles that govern the construction of an editorial text. During the early years (1960s) and throughout the 1970s of Runyankore newspaper writing, the editorial text was a significant genre often appearing on the front page and largely characterized by rhetorical moves consisting in religious and biblical propositions. The editorialists have occasionally employed proverbs to premise or reinforce their arguments, but also to bring humour to the text. The contemporary editorial text also exemplifies use of conversational language, a discursive style that appears to identify with and endear it to putative readers. While the genre has been in constant flux, Runyankore-Rukiga print media outlets have discontinued editorial writing because of commercial reasons and apprehension concerning the consequences of articulating issues that disfavour policies and undertakings of a coercive government. The article reiterates the significance of editorial writing in newspaper discourse and advocates continued articulation of other non-political issues that do not necessarily endanger print media praxis.

‘Stealing Money’ OR ‘Embezzling Public Funds’: Construing sleaze in the Ugandan press via legalese

“…Attitudinal resources for flagging affect are rather limited in the news reportage. However, previous studies indicate that values of affect are manifest in locutions that exhibit behavioural surge of the news actors of the third party and their mental disposition (smiling, anxiety, insecurity) because they are being arrested or threatened with arrest (Mugumya, 2013). For instance, the invoked Affect values in Example 1 demonstrate the uneasiness and fear that gripped the news actors when they encountered police constables.…”

“…News reporters invoke values of affect to depict those involved as mortal beings predisposed to emotional reactions in face of imminent danger, namely corruption charges. However, these values appear to evoke a sense of humiliation and cowardice on the part of such high-profile personalities who wither before the law, or when they face imminent danger of being convicted (Mugumya, 2013).…”

“…Generally, positive attributes in a discourse of corruption would occur in editorial genres, especially in instances where efforts to fight the vice or those that extol the press (investigative journalism) and corruption agencies or government’s processes and actions in combatting corruption are expressed (Mugumya, 2013). Conversely, our discourse analysis of the news reportage demonstrates instances of aesthetic evaluation (flagged in italics ) of the news actors involved in corrupt incidences.…”

“…Another study established that news reporters invoke grammatical metaphors to recount corrupt conduct, wherein the metaphors depict the embezzlement and depict corruption as an eating or drinking undertaking where the participants relish the drink or food and derive cheerfulness from it. The metaphors apparently demonstrate the pleasure derived from the acts of corruption (enriching oneself) as it is in eating and drinking (becoming healthier) (Mugumya, 2013). Although people in Uganda do not generally condone corrupt behaviour, there is evidence that in certain circles, the outcomes of corruption are hailed.…”