A Linguistic Analysis Of form and Content of Al-Shabaab’s Press Statements on the Recent Kenyan Terror Attacks

Abstract

This paper examines the form that is structure as well as the content of the statements and press releases of Al-Shabaab at different times with the hope of establishing a pattern of phraseology and consistent references to dogmatic terrorism themes. The study explores the linguistic form and function in statement releases of the Al-Shabaab and their relation to the communicative purposes. Moreover, the study analyses the content of the press statements with regard to unearthing the most recurrent themes in them namely, militancy, terrorism and extremism propagated through the use various linguistic indicators. The socio-cultural approach to CDA used by Teun van Dijik has been used in this study. Constructions for this study have been analysed from press statements released by the Al-Shabaab on the recent terrorist attacks in which it claimed responsibility namely, the Mandera bus attack, the Koromei quarry attack and the Garissa University attack. Qualitative content analysis is adopted in analyzing data for this study. The study offers insight into the structure of the Al-Shabaab press statements and also shows how the language used in the statements propagates ideologies held by terrorists and militants.