THE ROLE OF TENSE, MODALITY AND POLARITY IN SHAPING DISCOURSE IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Abstract

The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament observed in churches in
commemoration of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. This paper
critically evaluates the functions of tense, modality, and polarity in
influencing the social dynamics of communication within the context
of this ritual. The paper draws from the theoretical framework of
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to analyse temporal anchoring,
degrees of certainty, and affirmation/negation in the Eucharistic
ritual. The methodology involves a qualitative discourse analysis
approach. The textual analysis presents Tense in the Holy Eucharist
as a historical ongoing timeless and enduring communal experience.
Modality plays a significant role in constructing the theological,
symbolic, and social dimensions of the liturgical ceremony. Polarity is
demonstrated as a linguistic device for affirming the communal
identity as well as defining the boundaries of inclusion for the
participation of the ceremony within the liturgical community. The
paper draws intertextually from biblical scriptures and theological
writings, to illuminate the ritual's rich theological and symbolic
complexity while underscoring how these linguistic elements
contribute to both the individual and collective identity of the
worshippers. The findings demonstrate how language mediates and
constructs the Holy Eucharist as a religious and social event, with the
tense, modality, and polarity used in its observance defining the limits
of ritual participation, reinforcing doctrinal purity and unity, and
uncovering power relations. The paper contributes to ongoing
discourse in social cohesion, community development and
advancement of knowledge in language studies within the context of
religious practices.