Linguistic markers of modality in Ghanaian Presidential Independence Day speeches

Using Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) theory and modality framework, this study investigates linguistic markers of modality in Ghanaian Independence Day speeches. Eight speeches from John Dramani Mahama (JDM), the eleventh president of Ghana, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (NADAA), the twelfth president of Ghana, were sampled. The analysis revealed that the top five linguistic indicators for modal meanings were modal auxiliary verbs, lexical verbs, adverbs, lexico-modal items, and subjunctive mood. The presidents used modal verbs to state their certainty about their propositions, awareness of some factuality, ability to execute an action, probability of the occurrence of some events, and desire to see a change. JDM mostly described himself as an agent central to completing an action. On the other hand, NADAA mostly used modal auxiliary verbs to state the confidence and certainty of the truth value in his propositions. These findings affirm the unrestricted semantic (modal) values of modal auxiliary verbs. This study provides evidence for modality use in Independence Day speeches. It advances modality beyond the static grammatical category by illustrating its dynamic and context-dependent use in political speeches. This paper also enriches theoretical frameworks for analyzing political/ceremonial discourse as a site of strategic meaning-making.