A Stylostatistical Analysis of Ayi Kwei Armah’s Use of Pronouns in Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born and Why Are We So Blest?

This study: “A Stylostatistical Analysis of Ayi Kwei Armah’s Use of Pronouns in The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born and Why Are We So Blest?”, examines the frequent use of pronouns by Armah to achieve his intended message as well as create a stylistic effect. The work adopts both qualitative and quantitative analysis of pronoun preponderance, its stylistic distribution and co-occurrence. The study was conducted from a linguistic stylistic perspective and guided mainly by the systemic linguistic model by M. A. K. Halliday. Arandom sampling method was used in selecting the pronoun for the analysis. Tables and percentages were the research tools used in data analysis. The findings reveal that Armah deliberately uses pronoun to convey his thematic concerns of the question of identity, corruption and socioeconomic dynamics of his country – Ghana. Although Armah has enjoyed long enduring literary and linguistic analysis, this present work uses the mixture of stylistics and statistics to add fresh perspective to the plethora of African literature but also to deepen understanding of Armah’s style.

Keywords: Stylostatistic Style Literature Language Stylistic Features

Author

• Godwin Friday Akpan
  College of Education, Afaha Nsit
  Akwa Ibom State
  akpangody4@yahoo.com