Taofik Adesanmi

Taofik Olasunkanmi Adesanmi is a Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of English at Adeyemi Federal University of Education in Ondo, Nigeria. A specialist in anthropological linguistics, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and linguistic stylistics, his work explores how language shapes identity, communication, and social experience in African contexts. He has held research fellowships at the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies in Germany and completed his PhD at the National University of Lesotho, where he examined death discourse and identity in epitaphs. With extensive teaching, publication, and conference experience across Africa, Europe, and the U.S., he contributes actively to linguistic scholarship and professional bodies in Nigeria and beyond. 

Applied and Anthropological Linguistics: The Pedagogy of Epitaphs and Sociocultural Texts

Research Focus

My work examines epitaphs within and beyond Africa as linguistic and cultural artifacts that capture the social, historical, and ideological realities of communities. Seen alongside tributes, obituaries, suicide notes, and wills, epitaphs form a unique genre of commemorative discourse. They preserve lives, values, identities, and relationships at the threshold of death. As an educator, I also explore their usefulness as teaching tools in language and cultural instruction.

Theoretical Framework

Grounded in text linguistics, my research analyzes the syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, and stylistic features of epitaphs. This approach helps reveal how they express philosophies of death, religious beliefs, emotions, naming practices, social ties, and cultural worldviews. My work focuses on:

• the linguistic and communicative features that define epitaphs,
• how these texts reflect cultural norms and values,
• and how identity is constructed through occupation, kinship, social status, and communal belonging.

Methodological Approach

I use a qualitative design that blends text linguistics, discourse analysis, and cultural studies. Through close reading and contextual interpretation, I study the language forms, cultural references, and semiotic elements in epitaphs. This method uncovers the deeper meanings and social functions of memorial inscriptions and situates them within historical, religious, and cultural contexts.

Significance of Research

This research provides deeper insight into how language shapes culture, memory, and identity. It highlights epitaphs as vital elements of cultural heritage and communicative practice. The work enriches interdisciplinary discussions on commemorative discourse as a space for meaning making and social continuity. It also demonstrates how epitaphs and similar sociocultural texts can serve as authentic learning materials for language education, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.

Future Directions

My ongoing and future work will explore:

• comparative studies of epitaphs across regions and time periods to reveal linguistic and cultural patterns;
• digital humanities approaches for documenting and conducting corpus-based analyses of epitaphs;
• multimodal studies examining how language, imagery, and material form interact to create meaning.

Through these efforts, I hope to deepen scholarly conversations on the relationship between language, culture, and identity, while expanding the pedagogical use of sociocultural texts. Ultimately, my goal is to position epitaphs not only as memorial inscriptions but as cultural and educational resources that connect past, present, and future through language.