Time and Season Idioms in Nigerian Political Talk Show

Abstract

This study examines semantic features of time and season idioms
in Nigerian talk show, Politics Today, to identify their types,
conceptual processes, and communicative functions. Employing a
qualitative research approach, the study analysed 57 time- and
season-related idioms that appeared in the broadcasts between 2022
and 2024. Data were obtained through non-probability sampling,
selecting and downloading five episodes from the Channel’s TV
website. The episodes were manually transcribed, and two
dictionaries were consulted to classify idioms into Standard English
and Nigerian English. The analysis was guided by cognitive theory
of metaphor and Metaphor Identification Process (MIP) to identify
linguistic metaphors and their corresponding conceptual mappings.
Also, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the
roles of idiom in political discourse. The findings reveal 14
Standard English idioms and 11 Nigerian English idioms,
generating 24 conceptualisations. The analysis shows that
conceptual metaphor frequently draws on universal schemas such
as temporal and seasonal sequences, reflecting political transitions
and strategic moments. These motivations are grounded in
conventional and cultural understandings of time as a measurable,
renewable, and cyclical entity. Idioms conceptualised under
Politics is Time and Politics is Season demonstrate how politicians
perceive politics as a temporal, periodic, and cyclical process.
Interview responses further indicate that participants recognise
idioms as central to political discourse, emphasising their
conceptual and cultural richness within the talk show. Overall, the
study underscores the importance of idiom in framing political
thought and suggests that future research could extend this inquiry
to different cultural contexts and media platforms