Analysis of the Syntactic Structure and Communicative Acts in Selected Online Covid-19 Communication Campaign Posters

This study analyses the syntactic structure and communication acts in selected online Covid-19 communication campaign posters. The aim is to explore, describe and explain the constituent structures of the messages and discuss the communicative acts in them messages' constituent structures and discuss their communicative acts. The qualitative method is employed in carrying qualitative method is employed to carry out the study. The syntactic structures of the selected messages are analysed using the phrase structure rules of the X-bar theory, while. In addition, the communicative acts are analysed using Searle’s theory of speech acts. The results of the analysis of the syntactic structures show that verb phrases are predominant and they analysis of the syntactic structures shows that verb phrases are predominant and function as imperative or declarative sentences. On the other hand, the analysis of the communicative acts shows that the locutionary acts are clear and easy to comprehend. The illocutionary acts are predominantly directives, requests, instructions and advices. The study recommends that the messages be translated into many indigenous languages in order to enable Nigerians who do not speak or understand English well.