Practs in Oladimeji Ilerioluwa Aloba’s (Mohbad) selected depressive songs

Abstract

Studies abound in the literature on how music can signpost depression. However, there is a dearth of research on depressive language in  the lyrics of late Oladimeji Ilerioluwa Aloba (Mohbad), a Nigerian popular artiste. Hence, this paper highlights the linguistic markers of  depression in selected Mohbad’s songs’ lyrics. Using Jacob Mey’s (2001), Pragmatic Act Theory, the researcher purposively selected five  songs from Mohbad’s music catalogue with the aim of identifying linguistic choices that index depression, and the Practs (pragmatic  functions) of the linguistic strategies. Findings reveal that Mohbad uses referential techniques such as endophoric references, personal  pronouns, creative lexicalization (blending) and naming. There are different types of practs in the songs such as doubting, worrying,  soliciting and fear. Applying pragmatic principles to musical lyrics helps to gain insights into prevailing issues that artistes may be going  through. This invariably means that music provides a platform for accessing the mental state of artistes as explicated in this paper. Songs  should not be taken on their face values so that inherent psychological issues can be arrested in good time before they are  escalated.