SPEECH ACTS ANALYSIS: AN EXPLORATION OF PUBLIC PROTEST LANGUAGE IN ANTI-CORRUPTION SLOGANS IN SOUTH ASIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Anti-corruption movements in South Asian context emerged increasingly due to the region’s perpetual challenges regarding political corruption. People in South Asian countries resist corruption and political misconduct through impactful linguistic choices. This paper elucidates the linguistic strategies that determine resistance discourse by critically analyzing anti-corruption slogans from the public protests in South Asia. This synthesis illuminates the multifaceted functions of speech acts of resistance in slogans particularly associated with political corruption. It will expand the Speech Act Theory (SAT) by Austin (1962) and Searle (1969). A sample of 80 slogans have been obtained from the renowned public protests based on anti-corruption movements in South Asian countries. The sources of data collection include internet and media platforms. The study harnesses a qualitative approach to analyze the speech acts of resistance through slogans used in public protests. This highlights that language functions as a powerful tool through which the impactful linguistic choices by ordinary citizens can resist and challenge the authority. The findings resonate with the predominance of directives and assertive speech acts which reflect direct commands, moral allegations, demands and denunciations. The findings demonstrate the pragmatic dimension of resistance in public protest language in South Asian anti- corruption movements. Ultimately, this study investigates that protest slogans are not merely emotional outburst and frustration, these are the structured forms of resistance which can cause great transformations