Open Access
American Research Journal of English and Literature
ISSN (Online): 2378-9026
DOI: 10.46568/arjel
Nominal Choices in Nigerian Newspaper Editorials: A Functional Grammar Approach
Abstract
The study investigated participant roles in selected editorials in Nigerian newspapers. The data for the study were
editorials. The editorials were taken from The Nigerian Tribune, The Punch and The Vanguard. Seven editorials were
selected and each editorial was labelled T1, T2, ... T7 for proper analysis. Each main clause of the editorials was also
numbered for accurate accountability and reference. The selected editirials were critically read and the participants
were identified and their roles were interpreted and discussed. The findings revealed that most of the messages of the
texts were realised by participants such as actor, carrier, attribute and goal. The study concluded that the dominance of
participants such as actor, carrier, attribute and goal in the editorials showed that editorials were not meant to tell us
what happened, but rather, how things were and should be.
