2.0 Introduction
2.1.5 Symbols, slogans and colours
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is culturally significant in a language they are competent in, and in most cases, this is their local languages. Languages play an important role in the way people create reality, as a tool for communication-inevitably a tool for development and in the articulation of values and attitudes. Simple Kiswahili words (slogans) such as
‗Nyayo‘ (footsteps), ‗Amani‘ (peace), ‗upendo‘ (love) and ‗umoja‘ (unity) have been used as political rallying points. In their simplicity such Kiswahili words have played a practical populist role. King‘ei (2002) examines Swahili influence on the political culture He notes that, a number of mainstreams political parties bears Kiswahili names. This is a pointer to the fact that Kiswahili is the language that best ensures inter- and intra- societal communication. For instance, even parties with English names still select Kiswahili party symbols such as Taa, Simba, Jogoo, Tinga Tinga etc. Naturally party mottos are also in Kiswahili.
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variation, which is endemic in the vocabulary of any natural language, means that answers must be sought to questions like: Do words/names/symbols/slogans typically have multiple meanings? How do we decide what constitutes ‗a meaning‘?
Are there an infinite number of such meanings? How are the meanings related to one another? Language is the highest and most amazing achievement of human kind.
Language shapes and reflects society. To this end, Words (names and slogans), pictures (of party symbols) and memory images are symbols that may be combined and varied in a thousand ways. The result is a symbolic structure whose meaning is a combination of all respective meanings and this kaleidoscope of ideas is the typical product of the human brain that we call ―the stream of thought‖ of the symbolic human mind. The objective being to manipulate language-the highest and most amazing achievement of human kind-to shape and reflect society (voting public).
The reaction in future communication is to use symbols, as a process of transforming all direct experience into imagery or into an extreme mode of symbolic expression in which language has so completely taken possession of the human mind that it is not only a special talent but a dominant organic need. All our sense impression live their traces in our memory not only as signs disposing our practical way of life but also as symbols that we use to interact with the world around us. A concrete referent, such as
‗rabbit‘, is something that is physically demonstrable and thus perceptible by the senses. An abstract referent, such as ‗the bright ideas,‘ is a concept designated by the light bulb, is something that is formed in the mind and is thus not demonstrable as such. This study investigated the meanings of symbols that obtain in Kenyan political parties, examining whether their denotative and connotative meanings are established by a generally accepted social convention.
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Geach (in Snook 1972) emphasizes this well enough when he asserts that the central and typical application of the term ―having a concept‖ is those in which a man is a master of a bit of linguistic usage. This reflects on the intentions of the speaker although certain choices could be deliberate. The linguistic usage is categorically prescriptive as reflected in the restricted code which gives little room to make a choice-a case prevalent in KPP slogan, KPP symbol and KPP colour as an important feature of KPP.
The views of Stewart (1997:297-308) have been heavily adopted in the analysis of KPP slogans. Stewart states that ―Sloganeering‖ has a rich history. It originated from the Gaelic word ‗slaughgharim‘, which signified ― a host shout‖, ―war cry‖ or
―gathering word or phrase of one of the old highland clans; hence the shout or battle cry of soldiers in the field. Slogans have been with us for centuries and act as social symbols and symbolic justifications. Political parties employ them to create impressions, to alter perceptions, to elicit emotional responses, to make demands and to pressure oppositions. The slogan types include sanctioned slogans, the advertising slogans and spontaneous slogans. The ambiguity of slogans enable them to serve as verbal bridges from one meaning to another to allow individuals and groups to interpret them according to their own perceptions and needs. They simplify complex problems, and situations while demanding instant corrective actions. Many slogans are unique to and readily identifiable with specific social movements or social movement organizations. Slogans are linguistic statements designed to produce an emotional connection between the audience and politician, were examined and effectively brought about their linguistic strategies like the use of: alliteration,
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incorrect language, metaphors, and framing. The two general kinds of represents that signs encode are concrete and abstract.
Dondis 1973:50 notes colour is laden with information and a necessary tool for optical conservationists. Colour obtains in three dimensions namely, brightness, saturation, and hue. Hue comprises blue, yellow and red. Saturation refers to a color‘s ‗comparative purity when gray, white and black is added to it. Thus the saturation is compromised hence losing her unadulterated, modest, original and straightforward sense. The lesser the saturated a colour is the more refined and neutral they are. Brightness applies when colours are arranged in series with black and white at extreme ends. When hue, brightness and saturation are manipulated, the result could be millions of colours. This study has considered colour not only as a shade but rather a semantic component. Efforts have been made in analyzing colour semantic, colour recognition and in unraveling the political discourses inherent in KPP colours.