Semantic Multiplicity in Political-Military Discourse: A study of General Musa's Assumption-of-Office Address
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Political-military discourse is characterised by its simultaneous need for operational precision and rhetorical flexibility. Defence leaders often employ lexical items with multiple meanings, either related (polysemy) or unrelated (homonymy), to address diverse stakeholders, frame ideological positions, and manage ambiguity. This study investigates semantic multiplicity in the assumption-of-office address delivered by General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Minister of Defence, on 5th December, 2025. It analyses selected polysemous and homonymous items and examines how their multiple meanings function as linguistic and ideological resources in defence leadership rhetoric. Drawing on lexical semantics and critical discourse perspectives, the study identifies twelve extracts containing key polysemous and homonymous items. Using qualitative textual analysis, the findings show that semantic multiplicity contributes to the rhetorical effectiveness of the address. Polysemy supports layered meaning-making, institutional solidarity, strategic ambiguity and audience inclusivity, while homonymy contributes to rhetorical emphasis, conceptual framing and contextual flexibility. Overall, the findings demonstrate how multiple meanings operate across political, military and administrative domains to construct a discourse that is motivational, authoritative, strategic and ideologically grounded.
Institution: Admiralty University of Nigeria
Language: English
Subfield: Linguistics and Language
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225585622