1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: Language form, language meaning and language in context. Language form refers to the surface features of language and how these are arranged according to the grammar of the language. According to Adebanjo X2008) in “Basic Issues in Discourse Analysis”, language in use which cannot be restricted to the description of linguistic forms independent of the purpose or functions which their forms are designed to serve in human affairs. Our main focus in this study is on language meaning which is known as “Semantics”, the study of language meanings deal on how language employ logical structures and real world references to convey, process and assign meanings as well as to manage and resolve ambiguity. Language is essentially a social phenomenon, the assertion is clearly foregrounded in the definition of M.A.K. Halliday cited in Bloor guage can be 'woven’ to express the intention of a writer. When people use language to express meanings, they do so in specific situations and the type of language that they use is usually influenced by the complex elements of those situations (pg. 14).
People who wore T-Shirt with inscriptions just like every other human being normally use T-Shirt inscriptions to express themselves. According to Babajide (2000), “Every human being is naturally endowed with capacity for language use for the expression of self and reception of others expressed messages. T-Shirt inscriptions could be seen as an informal way of non-verbal messages to its readers. and Bloor (1995) that Semantics according to Titi Adejumobi (2007) is the study of the meaning of words, phrases and sentences (pg. 32). Crystal (1980) defines semantics as the study of the meaning of linguistic forms (pg. 315). Lyons (1981) also defines it as “the study of meaning”. Oladipo L. et al (2000) defines ‘semantics’ as the study of the word and morpheme meanings as the study of rules combining meanings.
We can then infer from the different definitions above that Semantics is the branch of linguistics dealing with meanings of words and sentences. In semantics analysis, there is always an attempt to focus on what the’ words conventionally mean, rather than on what a speaker might want the words to mean on a particular occasion. This technical approach to meanings emphasizes the objectives and the general. It avoids the subjective and the local.
Semantics shows how the speech community of a particular language gives meaning to its speech sounds or vocal noise or-the representatives of the vocal noise in writing. It investigates and describes how each human language arrives at a system of a given meaning to its peculiar vocal noise. Semantics as a science of meaning comes in readily to and establish the problem. Creative writers can be very good, powerful, effective or sometimes ineffective in their use of languages in their surface and deep levels of creating different meanings to suit their goals. Semantic explains the various types of meaning that exist within T-Shirt inscriptions.
Therefore, semantics is the science that studies the meaning of T-Shirt inscriptions. Most scholarly works on text like this have been on newspapers, headlines, speeches, semiotics and car stickers in purview of pragmatics and critical discourse analysis. However, this paper intends to consider a vital concept in linguistics. “Semantics to analyze T-Shirt inscriptions”. This will serve as a theoretical framework to enhance our understanding of meanings with different T-Shirt inscriptions used by people. It will reveal the importance and effects of these T-Shirt inscriptions. It will also add to the few existing scholarly works on semantics.
T-Shirt inscription as Graphology is a branch of linguistics that studies writing and printing as systems of signs. It is the study of the writing system of a language, the orthographic conventions that have been devised to turn speech into writing using any available technology (e.g. pen d ink, typewriter, printing press, electronic screen) . In modern English, the core of the system is the alphabet of 26 letters, in its lower case (a, b, c …) and upper case (A, B, C …) forms, along with rules which govern the way of spelling and capitalization which govern the way these letters are combined to make words. The system also includes the set of punctuations marks and the conventions of text positioning (such as headlines and indents), which are used to organize text by identifying sentences, paragraphs and other written units. (David Crystal 1987).
Therefore, in Lagos State – (Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government) where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Semantic Analysis of T-shirt Inscriptions.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to investigate the Semantic Analysis of T-shirt Inscriptions. In achieving this aim, the specific objectives were set out as follows:
- To identify and study T-Shirt inscriptions.
- To examine the stylistic nature inscriptions.
- To explore the similarities among the different T-Shirt inscriptions.
- To examine the various semantics associated with the different T-Shirt inscriptions
1.3 Research Questions
The following are the questions of the research work;
- What is the different T-Shirt inscriptions used as our data in this research?
- What are the methods of style used in writing the T-Shirt inscriptions under study in this research?
- What are the similarities and differences among these T-shirt inscriptions?
- What are the semantics associated with the different inscriptions of these T-Shirts?
1.4 Research Hypothesis
HO1: There are significant differences among the various types of T-Shirt inscriptions used in our data.
HO2: There are significant differences in the stylistic methods used in writing the various T-Shirt inscriptions in our data.
HO3: There are no significant differences in the production process of these T-Shirt inscriptions
H04: There are significant differences on the importance of these T-Shirt inscriptions.
1.5 Significance of Study
There have been many research works which adopted semantics analysis approach to different areas such as advertisement, tourist, destination, images, cars, stickers etc. but none have filled the gap of T-Shirt inscriptions. So, it is the intention of the present writer to dwell on the application of the concept of semantics to analyze some T-Shirt inscriptions in order to fill the gap that is vacuum.
Due to the gap that has not been filled by the previous writers, the present writer intends to apply the concept of semantics:
- To study T-Shirt with religious, educational, political and advertisement inscriptions.
- To examine the various semantics associated with the different T-Shirt inscriptions.
- To study the stylistic nature of the T-Shirt inscriptions.
- To examine the importance of these T-Shirt inscriptions in human endeavors.
It is believed that this study will educate the public more on T-Shirt inscriptions by throwing more light on the types, meanings and importance of these T-Shirt inscriptions used by people.
Besides, the study will serve as reference material for subsequent researcher in the field or related topics.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
This research work shall be limited to T-Shirt inscriptions under religion, advertisement, education and politics. Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills and habits of a group -of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training or research. Education makes a worthy contribution to our lives by making us responsible citizens. It spreads awareness, informing us about our rights and the service that can access this is, done through the use of educational T-Shirt inscriptions.
Religion is the study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
Religion teaches morals and encourages good lifestyle in a society; this is achieved through the use of religious T-Shirt inscriptions.
According to William J. Stanton (2012), Advertising consists of all the activities involved in presenting to a group, a non-personal, oral or visual, openly sponsored message regarding dissemination through one or more media and is paid for by an identified sponsor.
The main importance of advertising is to inform its targeted audience/ customers about introduction of new products, update or changes in existing products or product related changes, information regarding new offers and schemes, this seen on advertisement T-Shirt inscriptions.
Politics is the practice and theory of influencing other people on a civic or individual level. It refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance-organized control over a human community, particularly a state.
Political T-Shirt inscriptions propagate and educate the people about the government of the day.
1.7 The processes involved in the production of T-Shirt Inscriptions
Printing inscriptions and images on T-Shirts is a complex process, when the paint is applied over the fabric. Modern technologies allow the application of almost any prints on textiles; inscriptions and drawings, logos and pictures, turning ordinary thing into one of the kind. T-Shirt with printing is an easy way to make a common week day colorful or to present an original gift for the holiday.
Printing inscriptions on T-Shirts involve the process of heating to produce the inscriptions.
In making high-quality printing on T-Shirts and fabrics, you apply print which is a thermal transfer using ordinary iron. The basis of this technology consists of placing the image on the fabric, using strong pressure and temperature.
Home-made printing involves buying a heat press to improve the quality. Digital printing on textiles (T-Shirt printing) allows the application of a variety of fabrics from natural to mix up.
Professional printing companies provide digital printing on black, white, colored and multi-colored t-shirts, sweater, shirts, etc. and the picture looks bright and realistic regardless 44 the type of textile type and its color. The unique organic water-based ink designed specifically for textiles is used for printing on t-shirts which really “grow together” with fabric and the image remains imperceptible.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
