Exploring Transitivity System in the Speech of 1st Female Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz at her Oath Taking Ceremony

Abstract

The study aims to examine the language used in the speech of the 1st female chief minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz at her oath taking ceremony. The primary objective of the study was to explore the different types of processes employed by the CM in her discourse along with the secondary objective to figure it out the strategical use of language to convey the desired meanings to the target audience. Systemic functional linguistic model proposed by Halliday and Matthiessen (2004) has been applied as a framework of this study. The findings revealed the occurrence of four types of processes; verbal, mental, behavioral and relational among which the verbal has been the dominant one throughout the speech and compromised of 45% of the total clauses. The results also asserted that the CM made the strategical use of language to express her emotions towards her newly elected post and her ambitious plans to set the province on a way of an ultimate success in every aspect of life.