A LINGUISTIC STYLISTIC STUDY OF VICTOR S. DUGGA’S GIDAN JUJU

Abstract

This study, a linguistic stylistic study of Gidan Juju by Victor S. Dugga,
focuses primarily on the lexical category, lexical cohesion,
graphological and syntactic features chosen by the playwright to
develop the play. The content of the text forms the corpora for the
study while integrative approach is used for analysis. The study finds
out that the diction of the text is simple, familiar and characterized by
registers of various domains of life; it encompasses language
embellishments such as proverbs, adages, witty-sayings and figures of
speech which are used to enhance the aesthetics and elevate the
language of the text. Findings also show that repetition, synonymy,
near-synonymy, antonymy as well as lexical cohesion are the lexical
cohesive devices Dugga uses prominently in the play. It is also
discovered at the graphological level that the dash (-) is deployed for
expansion and clarification of thought while ellipsis is aptly utilized
for unexpressed thought so as to entrench brevity of expression. The
use of various forms of interrogative sentence as well as choppy
sentence (to facilitate the flow of thought) reveals the linguistic
prowess of the playwright. The study concludes that the linguistic
choices made by the playwright are apt, they are indicative of his
idiolect.