Syntax, Technology and Politics: Analyzing Political Facebook Posts

This study used Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) theory to analyze syntactic complexity in digital communication. Thirty Facebook posts made between August and December 2023 by John Dramani Mahama, a Ghanaian former president, were analyzed in this study. A textual analysis was conducted on the data. The findings affirmed that grammatical categories are functional. There was a deliberate linguistic strategy marked by a prevalence of declarative sentences and a notable dominance of complex structures in this genre of digital writing. The strategic use of non-finite clauses contributes to the complexity of the discourse. The genre of writing is also characterized by information ranking and integration. The linguistic choices align with the formal expectations of political and digital communication - precision, depth, and engagement. These observations challenge and enrich existing theories of political discourse and communication strategies in the digital era.

discourse on Facebook provides a rich context for exploring the dynamic relationship between syntactic complexity and the conveyance of political ideas.Nwala and Tamunobelema share that content creators are required to ensure a delicate balance between concise expression and the conveyance of substantive content in a medium characterized by brevity and informality. 6As society increasingly relies on digital platforms for information consumption and opinion formation, the impact of syntactic choices on the reception and interpretation of political messages becomes particularly noteworthy.Such empirical exercise contributes to our understanding of how individuals [political figures] strategically make syntactic choices in the digital space to influence perceptions, resonate with diverse audiences, and shape political narratives.The impact of social media on political activities is replete in the literature. 7n this study, the researchers acknowledge the potential implications of syntactic choices in fostering or hindering meaningful political engagement within the inherently dynamic and interactive space of Facebook.Facebook is a text-based platform.Halliday and Matthiessen describe the text as follows: 8 When people speak or write, they produce text; and text is what listeners and readers engage with and interpret.The term 'text' refers to any instance of language, in any medium, that makes sense to someone who knows the language; we can characterize text as language functioning in context.
Eggins corroborates with Halliday and Matthiessen by saying that language is used functionally and that, linguistic choices are made from alternatives for meaning-making.9Language, according to Halliday's SFL theory, is semantic and contextual.Situated in this theoretical framework, this empirical investigation, therefore, seeks to transcend the conventional perception of grammatical preferences as mere stylistic elements, contending that they serve as deliberate instruments carrying communicative intents.The researchers choose to concentrate on how language operates in digital political discourse.The questions we sought to answer were: i. What linguistic structures are found at the sentence level in Facebook political posts?ii.
What communicative intents underlie the linguistic structures?
The Facebook posts made by the Ghanaian former president, John Dramani Mahama were the corpus of study.

Context Description
John Dramani Mahama (JDM) served as a Ghanaian President from July 24, 2012, to January 7, 2017.He is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a major political party in Ghana.He sought reelection in the 2016 presidential election but was defeated by Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).Mahama continues to be an active figure in Ghanaian politics, and his political career has played a significant role in the country's recent political landscape.He intends to run for re-election in the 2024 presidential election.He has been active on several social media sites, where he interacts with his large followership.JDM's Facebook posts usually consist of videos, photos, albums and text posts.Given his intention for re-election, his Facebook posts deliberately promote his previous term's accomplishments and continuing initiatives, with an emphasis on economic growth, education, healthcare, and infrastructure programmes.These posts seek to construct a favourable narrative about his leadership by emphasising the practical impact of his initiatives on the country.The campaign trail updates on his Facebook page also provide a behind-the-scenes look at his encounters with the public, rally attendance, and community participation.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)
Halliday and Matthiessen's SFL theory is the framework for this study.The theory is premised on the assumption that language in itself is a system of choices where each linguistic choice is made based on functional considerations. 10Halliday considers language as systemic and functional.11According to him, systemic language is a matrix of interconnected systems or a collection of possibilities for producing meanings.By functional, he refers to what language is used for in society, i.e., the constructive intent of the language in everyday life.Rather than viewing language as a set of rules, SFL views it as an asset for producing meaning and meaning lies in systemic patterns of choice.SFL examines language usability along with the way it is organized to be used.Additionally, SFL believes meaning to be social and that social meaning influences linguistic choices. 12In SFL, language's primary function is to perform a social function.The majority of grammars regard language as an abstracted network of relationships.On the other hand, in SFL, language is viewed by Halliday and Matthiessen as pragmatic and a way of communicating meaning. 13To Martin and Rose, this method looks beyond the formal systems of language and considers the context in which language is utilized. 14alliday and Matthiessen's principal objective is to "show why and how the text means what it does". 15In their attempt to demonstrate how the text represents what it does, Halliday and Matthiessen argue that meaning in a text is governed by three factors: the context of culture, the context of the situation and metafunction. 16Halliday employs three register variables to explain the context of a situation: field, tenor and mode. 17According to Halliday and Hasan, a text cannot be adequately dealt with unless the setting in which texts emerge and are to be comprehended is considered. 18Field, as explained by Halliday, refers to the complete occurrence within which the text is working, coupled with the speaker's or writer's purposeful action. 19It, therefore, encompasses the subject matter as one component in it.It depicts the social engagement in which the individuals are involved.This is highly important in the context of the study's usage of the text, i.e.Facebook posts.Halliday and Matthiessen are of the view that based on whom you are speaking to or sharing meaning with, the language will change and adapt to the circumstances. 20Halliday refers to mode as the role that a language plays. 21It could be printed or verbalized, as well as impulsive or not.He further explains that this demonstrates that when language contact occurs in a certain location, individuals may acquire a large amount of knowledge about the meanings that are being transferred and the meanings that are probable to be shared.Halliday and Hasan opine that under the context of the situation, the register parameter domain is linked to the ideational metafunction, the tenor variable domain is mapped onto the interpersonal metafunction, and the mode variable field is projected onto the textual metafunction. 22

METHODOLOGY
This study used a qualitative method in a textual analysis.Though sections of the findings are presented using statistical figures, the researchers adopt non-quantitative analyses through interpretation.The corpus for the study was the thirty Facebook posts made by the former Ghanaian president, JDM.The researchers conveniently selected posts made between August and December 2023.These posts were specifically chosen within the stated period firstly based on the currency of data.Additionally, the period was characterised by the former president's active social media engagement.He had just been elected on May 14, 2023 as the flagbearer of the party.The Facebook posts were made at a time when the former president was seeking re-election.It is expected of him to use the channel to comment on national issues, criticize the activities of the incumbent government, which is his rival, and share his vision for re-election.The posts were taken from the official Facebook website of the former president. 23This study purposively included posts in which the former president had commented on national issues, criticized the incumbent government, touted achievements of his previous administration, or updated his followers about his community engagements.The researchers manually parsed the clauses in each post.The sentence structures were catalogued based on Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik's sentence categorization. 24ccording to them, sentences are functional units defined by their communicative intent rather than solely their grammatical structure.They categorize sentences into declaratives (stating information), interrogatives (asking questions), imperatives (giving commands) and exclamatives (expressing emotions).Their framework of sentence categorization provides an understanding of how sentences serve different communicative goals.

PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Functional Sentence Types
From the data, the following sentence types were found to be prevalent in this variety of digital writing.The analysis, as shown in Table 1, reveals that the declarative sentence dominates this genre of communication.The former president used the channel to disseminate information.Greenbaum and Quirk aver that the discoursal function of the declarative sentence is "primarily used to convey information." 25iredu also notes that the declarative sentence type "apparently facilitates the provision of information to the reader." 26The following declarative sentences were seen in the data: 1.The sword of my fight against corruption will cut acrossagainst past government officials, officials of the incumbent administration, civil and public servants, businesses, government suppliers, etc. if they fall foul of the law.[11-Dec-23] 2. I can tell you here and now that the government of Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia has reached "DZE-NU-NYE-KPO-DZI". [27-Nov-23] There were few instances the former president used imperative sentences.Greenbaum and Quirk share that imperative sentences "are primarily used to instruct somebody to do something." 27The former president used this sentence type to extend an invitation to his followers and inspire in them the spirit of patriotism.The underlying reason for his use of imperative sentences was to persuade Ghanaians for him to be re-elected.Some texts from his posts are: 3. Let's Build the Ghana we want, together![23-Nov-23] 4. Visit an EC office and register to vote on December 7, 2024.[12-Sept-23]   As shown in Table 1 above, exclamative sentences were used the least across the posts made by the former president.The exclamative sentence conveys the speaker's strong emotions or reactions.Some texts from the former president's posts are: 5.A Happy 114 th Birthday to Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the Founder of Ghana! [21-Sept-23]  6. Cocoa farmers certainly deserve better![11-Sept-23]   Structural Sentence Types A variety of structural sentence types were used across the various Facebook posts of the former president.
The trends observed are presented in Table 2.The non-simple sentence dominated the Facebook posts of the former president.This trend is attributed to the ability of non-simple sentences to allow language users to express ideas in a detailed manner.The former president's use of non-simple sentences allowed him to create a sense of sophistication.The trend highlights his preference to provide depth to his messages and share complex thoughts.Simple sentences were used across the data in a relatively small proportion.

The Simple Sentence
A simple sentence, according to Greenbaum and Quirk, "consists of a single independent clause." 28The simple sentence is effective in achieving straightforward ideas and providing quick information.A textbased platform such as Facebook requires content creators to maintain a friendly tone.Nonetheless, as observed from the trend, the former president used relatively small proportions of simple sentences compared to non-simple sentences.The researchers infer that the former president opts for a relatively low simple sentence to maintain a balanced and friendly tone in his Facebook engagement with his followers and sympathizers.The preference for non-simple sentences affirms his desire to communicate more detailed information.The following simple sentences were seen in the Facebook posts of the former president.
7. I began a two-day #BuildingGhanaTour of the Western North Region on Wednesday morning.
[13-Dec-23] 8.I believe in transparency, accountability, and good governance.The simple sentences illustrated in extracts ( 7) -( 9) contain single independent clauses each.These simple sentences provide quick information to the audience and help the former president to easily connect with his followers.Without much knowledge of the literacy level of your audience, social media content creators are expected to maintain brevity.His choice of simple sentences helped him engage individuals with varied language proficiency and educational backgrounds.
As has been pointed out, non-simple sentence types dominated the linguistic structures used in the former president's communication on Facebook.The non-simple sentence contributes significantly to syntactic complexity. 29Much of the discussion, thereof, was centered on the non-simple sentences.

The Compound Sentence
The compound sentence "…consists of two or more coordinated clauses…are normally linked by one of the coordinating conjunctions."30Related ideas of the same grammatical rank are coordinated to ensure information symmetry.This non-simple sentence type was the least used type of sentence across the posts of the former president.The compound sentence was rarely preferred, showing that it is not unique in the linguistic style of this variety of digital writing.Table 3 shows the number of clauses found in a compound sentence from the data.In extract (10), each of the three clauses holds a unique idea communicated independently of each other.The president piled up the three clauses contributing to the information density of the sentence.The first independent clause is identified as: The cost of living has become very unbearable This clause contains an independent idea.The former president described the awful state of living and expressed his displeasure about the situation.Additionally, he provided another description of the awful state of affairs by providing evidence of the situation described in the first independent clause.This information is carried out in the second clause which is: Businesses are collapsing The second independent clause is an additional information provided to give substance to the first clause.The second clause describes how dire the living conditions of the Ghanaians are.The same is seen in the third independent clause: The unemployment rate has gone up

The Compound-Complex Sentence
Compound-complex sentences were seen across the data.Its significant proportion suggests its uniqueness in this variety of genres.This sentence type accounts for 15.43% of the structural sentence types in the data.The sentence type allows language users to join clauses of equal and unequal ranks.This technique contributes to information density in digital communication.For instance, the following sentence was seen in the former president's Facebook post: 11.Our farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we will continue to invest in their success.[01-Dec-23] In extract (11), two independent clauses are coordinated.Another clause is also subordinated to an independent clause.Two clauses are of the same grammatical rank while one is of a lower grammatical rank.The ranking of the clauses in the above extract is illustrated in Figure 2.Each independent clause presents a main idea that the former president shared with his digital audience.In the first clause, the former president affirmed the critical role farmers play in building the Ghanaian economy.In the second independent clause, he further communicated his intentions for the farmers as he anticipates being re-elected into office as president.
Compound-complex sentences illustrate the hierarchical organization of a language user's information. 31It was observed from the analysis that clauses of unequal grammatical ranks were piled in a single sentence, forming a compound-complex sentence.This sentence type is a grammatical feature of digital communication.As illustrated in Table 4, as many as four clauses of the same grammatical rank were found in a compound-complex sentence in this variety of digital writing.Five clauses were found which were subordinated to a higher clause in a single sentence.The four independent clauses represent the independent ideas of the former president.Each clause carries a main idea.The former president, as illustrated in extract ( 12), organized his information by piling up a number of main ideas in his sentences.The extract also contains three subordinated clauses.These subordinated clauses convey minor ideas.They are ranked below the main clauses.Each subordinate clause serves to specify relationships and provide context to the main information carried in the main clauses.
As Wiredu avers, non-simple sentences show the relative importance of a speaker's information.32Using extract (12), the letters of the alphabet are used to show the ranking of the ideas communicated in the compound-complex sentence: CLAUSE A1: My child, help your father in his old age CLAUSE A2: [and] do not grieve him CLAUSE A3: be patient with him CLAUSE A4: do not despise him CLAUSE B1: as long as he lives CLAUSE B2: even if his mind fails

CLAUSE B3: because you have all your faculties
The multiple dependency relationships help language users arrange their ideas and give prominence to the most relevant information.Though the compound-complex sentence was relatively low in the former president's communication with his audience, it is a unique syntactic feature of this variety of digital writing.It gave linguistic variety to the former president's communication and enhanced the richness and complexity of the language used.

The Complex Sentence
Independent and dependent clauses are piled into a single sentence to form complex sentences.This sentence type differs from the compound-complex sentence in terms of the number of independent clauses.Greenbaum and Quirk captures it as: …like a simple sentence in that it consists of only one MAIN clause, but unlike a simple sentence it has one or more SUBORDINATE clauses functioning as an element of the sentence. 33ile compound-complex sentences have two independent clauses, as has been illustrated in section 5.3., complex sentences have one independent clause.Multiple subordinate clauses can be embedded in both sentence types.Through subordination, language users package complex information. 34he former president embedded a number of subordinate clauses in his complex sentences to enrich his language use.The complex sentence was the predominant sentence type in this variety of digital communication.It accounted for 57.71% of the total sentence types.The former president relied extensively on this sentence type to communicate with his audience.Idea expansion was, thus, mostly achieved by the former president through the use of complex sentences.An example is given in extract (13).
13.The appointments show the NDC's intent to secure victory in the 2024 elections [27-Aug-23] Figure 3: Clauses in Extract ( 13) Extract ( 13) contains one independent clause and a dependent clause.The independent clause as identified in the above diagram is the appointments that show the NDC's intent.This clause carries the main information in the former president's sentence.He shares his views with his digital audience about the party's activity of appointing new officers into office.To provide further explanation of the intent of the party, the former president subordinates another clause to the main clause.The subordinated clause, to secure victory in the 2024 elections, is an infinitive clause specifying the purpose and goal behind the party's intent.The clause provides additional information about what the appointments have achieved.This kind of information expansion was predominant in this variety of digital writing.It helped the former president to pack complex information for persuasion and rhetorical effect.
A large amount of information is contained in the sentences used in this variety of digital writing.The subordinating clause is a linguistic feature of information complexity.Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik write that: …the device of subordination enables us to organize multiple clause structures.Each subordinate clause may itself be superordinate to one or more other clauses, so that a hierarchy of clauses, one within another, may be built up, sometimes resulting in sentences of great complexity. 35trend was observed where a variety of clauses are subordinated in a single complex sentence.Accordingly, Table 5 shows the number of subordinate clauses found per complex sentence.The observed feature of the former president's digital writing was the limitless nature of dependent clauses embedded in a complex sentence.The highest number of dependent clauses in a single complex sentence was eight.Subordinating more than three clauses in a complex sentence was seldomly done in the digital communication of the former president.The embedding of three subordinate clauses mostly characterized the syntactic choices of the former president.This is attributable to the need to prevent reader fatigue in digital communication.Examples of complex sentences with two and three subordinated clauses are illustrated below: 14.We will introduce a 24-hour economy with incentives and tax breaks for manufacturers who will run extra shifts to create more room for employment.[12-Aug-23]  Extracts ( 14) and ( 15) are representations of information dependency in digital writing.They also illustrate the hierarchical arrangement of information by language users.The essence of information structure is to engage the audience to appreciate the weight of each set of information.It helps to identify each set of information and its relative prominence.The letters of the alphabet are used to illustrate how ideas are ranked in extract (15).CLAUSE A: Let me take a moment CLAUSE B: to assure you CLAUSE C: that the 24

-hour economy…is an attainable goal for Ghana CLAUSE D: that has garnered a lot of attention
In terms of relative importance, the independent clause (Clause A) holds the primary message and conveys the main idea.This clause is the core and central focus of the sentence.The dependent clauses contribute by adding specific details and context to the main idea.The dependent clauses are of lower prominence than the information carried in the independent clause.This information structure through clause ranking is seen across this genre of digital communication.Audiences are able to "establish the dependency relations among the ideas expressed in the sentence." 36

Dependent Clauses
The trend showed the predominant use of non-simple sentences across this genre of digital writing.This discussion, therefore, focused on the embedded dependent clauses characterizing this genre of writing.After identifying and counting the dependent clauses across the data, an observation was made of a whole range of dependent clauses in the Facebook posts of the former president.Accordingly, Table 6 shows the different types of dependent clauses found in this variety of digital communication.The non-finite clause accounted for 56.6% of all dependent clauses used by the former president in making his Facebook posts.This observation affirms the assertion that the non-finite clause is the most preferred clause used to achieve information density.Other types of dependent clauses were found in the data though they were in relatively small proportions.The following sections will accordingly show how each dependent clause was used in the data to achieve linguistic complexity and communicate to the targeted audience.The argument hereof is in support of this study's position that grammatical preferences are not just mere stylistic elements, but serve as deliberate instruments carrying communicative intents.

Nominal Clauses
The study found that the nominal clause accounted for 10.1% of all dependent clauses across the data.Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik aver that "just as noun phrases may occur as subject, object, complement, appositive, and prepositional complement, so every nominal clause may occur in some or all of these roles." 37In the data, these clauses served complement roles.Two types of nominal clauses were found across the data: THAT-clause and the Zero-That clause.The THAT-nominal clauses in extracts ( 16) and ( 17) are used in complement roles.In extract ( 16), the clause that working together, the NDC will continue to be a strong and unified force and bring Ghana the deserved change in 2024 complements the adjective confident.The THAT-clause serves to provide further explanation about what the former president is confident about.The clause is embedded within the adjectival group as a complement to the adjective head.Such clause embedding contributes to information density and language complexity.A similar instance of clause embedding was observed across the Facebook posts of the former president.This clause embedding is illustrated with a tree diagram in Figure 6.The preference for Zero-That nominal clause was in relatively low proportion.This clause type performed both verbal and adjectival complement roles.An example of this clause is provided in extract (18).
18. On this occasion, I want to assure our farmers that the next NDC government will prioritise their welfare and work tirelessly to ensure they have the necessary resources and support to thrive.[01-Dec-23] In the above extract, the Zero-That clause they have the necessary resources and support to thrive is embedded in the verbal group.It is the object of the verb ensure and provides expansive information about the verb.Like other clauses in the data, it was used to communicate the specific intentions of the former president and engage his targeted audience.

The Relative Clause
The incidence of the relative clause across the data was 18.6%.Relative clauses are used for identifying and expanding information about nominals.For a former president who seeks re-election, his Facebook channel is an avenue to rally the support of the electorates and clarify his vision for the future of the country.Thus, he elaborated and clarified most information he gave to his audience.His clarification of information was tailored to resonate with the electorate's current sentiments, emphasize his accomplishments, and inspire confidence in his leadership.He used three different types of relative clauses to achieve this: WH-relative, THAT-relative and WHIZ-relative.The distribution of these clauses is shown in Table 8.Among the relative clause types, the WH-relative was the most used.This was followed closely by the THAT-relative clause.These clause types provided information about the noun complement.Examples of WH-relative and THAT-relative clauses are given in extracts ( 19) and ( 20) respectively.
19.This is unfair to our cocoa farmers, who have been worse off since the NPP took over the reins of government in 2017.[11-Sept-23] 20.Today, we all can attest to the fact that nothing is working for anybody.[27-Nov-23]   The slightly higher choice for WH-relative clause over THAT-relative clause is attributed to the former's formal status.Thus, the president's choice of the WH-relative clause was not only to elaborate his information but also to maintain a formal tone.This projected a sense of gravitas and statesmanship to instill confidence in his online audience, ensured the seriousness of his message, provided a more inclusive message and showed how the message was carefully drafted.The THAT-relative clause was, however, in close proportion to the WH-relative clause.This clearly shows that though the former president leaned towards a formal tone, he did not overlook issues of audience connection, engagement, strategic messaging and social media norms.For social media platforms such as Facebook, a more casual atmosphere is often created.Users expect content that feels native and less formal than traditional communication channels.A blend of both formal (WH-relative clause) and less formal structures (THATrelative clause) was evident in the former president's flexible and adaptable communicative style, effective communication of different topics to diverse audiences and adherence to the dynamics of digital platforms.

The Adjectival Clause
For the purposes of our study, we distinguished between relative and adjectival clauses.We considered adjectival clasues as those clauses introduced by the relative adverbs where, when and why.The adjectival clause, like the relative clause, details information about a specific noun.Adjectival clauses accounted for only 1.2% of the total dependent clause type in the data.Only one type of adjectival clause was seen across our data.As shown in Table 9, all the adjectival clauses seen in the data were clauses with subordinator where.These clauses specify the location associated with a noun.It serves the purpose of adding descriptive details, offering context and answering the question 'where'.Extract (21) exemplifies the use of adjectival clauses across the data.
21. Together, we can build a Ghana where every child dreams of a brighter tomorrow, where wellpaying job opportunities flourish, where infrastructure development connects communities, and where our beloved nation stands tall on the global stage.[23-Nov-23]   In the above extract, the adjectival clause where every child dreams of a brighter tomorrow describes the type of Ghana being discussed.It specifies the condition or quality of Ghana by providing information about the dreams of every child.The second adjectival clause where well-paying job opportunities flourish also adds details to the type of Ghana being envisioned by the former president.It describes the economic aspect of a future Ghana proposed by the former president.In the third clause, where infrastructure development connects communities, a descriptive detail is offered about the infrastructure of Ghana while the fourth clause where our beloved nation stands tall on the global stage provides insight into the global status of Ghana.These adjectival clauses provide additional information about the characteristics, aspirations and qualities associated with a Ghana envisioned by the former president.The clauses allowed the former president to create a vivid picture of his deepest visions for reelection.Though in little proportion, adjectival clauses added variety to the sentence structures in this digital variety and made the former president's communication more engaging to read.

The Adverbial Clause
Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik share that "adverbial clauses operate as adjuncts or disjuncts…they are like adverbs, and are often commutable with prepositional phrases." 38In the data, the researchers found these clause types giving circumstantial information about the message communicated by the former president.Table 10 shows the distribution of adverbial clauses found in the data.The distribution of adverbial clauses within the dataset exhibits an uneven pattern, indicative of nuanced pacing in the former president's digital communication.
Adverbial clauses expressing temporal sense used the subordinators as, when, and during.This clause type provided a temporal framing to the former president's discourse.He placed high emphasis on communicating information related to specific events and activities within a temporal context.More so, the adverbial clause of time kept the audience informed about ongoing and future activities and linked the former president's posts with timely and relevant events in the political landscape.The following extracts are taken from the posts of the former president: 22.In 2012, when a Ghanaian citizen decided to challenge the creation of the 45 new constituencies, the Supreme Court had a sole judge to decide the interlocutory injunction application in a timely manner.[11-Sept-23] 23.As we move forward with our #BuildingGhanaTour, visiting more regions and connecting with more Ghanaians, I invite you, my fellow Ghanaian, to continue to share your ideas, concerns, and hopes for our nation's future.[23-Nov-23]  In extract (22), the adverbial clause when a Ghanaian citizen decided to challenge the creation of the 45 new constituencies provides information about the specific time during which the action of challenging the creation of new constituencies took place.The adverbial clause to time, as indicated, was used by the former president to recount key milestones in the political landscape of Ghana.He linked these past events to present occurrences and made a strong case for the justification of his re-election.In extract (23), the adverbial clause of time as we move forward with our #BuildingGhanaTour introduces a temporal context to the message.It provides information about the time for which the action of moving forward, visiting regions and connecting with Ghanaians is taking place.These clauses helped the former president to organize information chronologically, highlight temporal aspects of his message, and set expectations for future engagement.The adverbial clause of time reflected the pulse of the present moment and the urgency of ongoing developments.They were not merely linguistic devices but tools for real-time connection and orchestration of a symphony of engagement in a responsive digital space.

Non-finite Clauses
The preceding sections have shown that the non-finite clause was preponderant in the dataset.This justifies it as the preferred dependent clause type in this genre of digital writing.More so, the researchers consider it as the linguistic tool used to achieve information complexity in digital communication.Table 11 shows the distribution of the two sub-types of non-finite clauses found in the dataset.The distribution of the two sub-types of non-finite clauses was in close proportion, with the infinitive to being in the majority.It was used as a clausal element (object), complement to the adjective head, object complement and adverbial.
Infinitive clauses as objects articulated the former president's objectives.He used these clauses to clarify his vision and commitments in seeking to be re-elected.A statement, as shown in extract (24), is, for instance, made by the former president.
24. Persons assigned to the public trust must be prepared to be accountable to the people.[11-Dec-23]  In extract (24), the infinitive clause to be accountable to the people is an object to the verb prepared.As an object, the infinitive clause specifies what individuals must be prepared to do, in this case, being accountable to the people.When functioning as an adjective complement, infinitive clause enriched descriptions in the former president's posts.The clause elucidated the specific nature of actions and also offered details to the message.Extract ( 25 The infinitive clause also provided additional information about what the former president was committed to.As object complements, infinitive clauses enhance the completeness of the statements.They are distinctly used to provide more details or specifications.Thus, they contributed to information density in this genre of digital communication. 26.I reiterated my commitment to prioritise the completion of abandoned and uncompleted government projects in our communities.[13-Dec-23]  The infinitive clause in extract ( 26) is to prioritize the completion of abandoned and uncompleted government projects in our communities.This clause is a complement to the noun phrase my commitment, which is the direct object of the sentence.
The research also found that, across the dataset, infinitive clauses were craftily used as adverbials.They provided information about the purpose, intention, or circumstances surrounding the action of the main verb.They also offered valuable insights into the motivations and conditions associated with the main action expressed in the message of the former president.As illustrated in extract ( 27), the infinitive clause offers circumstantial information.It provides information about the purpose or intention behind waging a war against corruption.The clause specifies why the former president intends to take the particular action of waging war against corruption.
27. …my administration would wage a strong fight against corruption to save money for reinvestment in the economy.[11-Dec-23]  The participle clause was also deftly used to complement a prepositional head, adjectival complement and adverbial.This is illustrated in extracts ( 28) -( 30) respectively.
28. Together, we will work towards building the Ghana we want and for a brighter future for the NDC.
[04-Dec-23] 29.It was great meeting with Dr Kwabena Duffuor as we discussed the future of our and the upcoming 2024 elections.[04-Dec-23] 30.By the operational hours of businesses and essential services, investing in technology, providing, and strengthening security and boosting infrastructure development, we will unlock unprecedented job opportunities and revitalise our economy in a way that benefits every Ghanaian. [23-Nov-23]

CONCLUSION
In the examination of the former Ghanaian president's Facebook posts, a discerning pattern emerged, showcasing a careful and strategic use of sentence structures.The prevalence of declarative sentences underscores a direct and authoritative tone, a characteristic often sought in political discourse.However, the notable dominance of non-simple sentences, particularly complex sentences, indicated a nuanced approach to conveying intricate ideas and expressing a sense of depth.The strategic deployment of nonfinite clauses served as a key driver of language complexity.It allowed for a subtle expression and contributed to the overall sophistication of the discourse.It was evident that these linguistic choices were not mere stylistic preferences but were carefully selected to align with the genre of political communication in a digital space, where precision, depth and strategic messaging play pivotal roles.The former president leveraged these syntactic structures to craft messages that resonated with the formal and authoritative expectations of the political genre while ensuring a refined and sophisticated but concise articulation of ideas in the dynamic realm of social media.

Figure 6 :
Figure 6: Embedding of That-Clause in an Adjectival Group

Figure 7 :
Figure 7: Embedding of That-Clause in a Verbal Group ) exemplifies this: 25.It is important for us to come together and work towards unity and the growth of our party.[04-Dec-23] In extract (25), the infinitive clause complements the adjective head important.The clause post modifies the adjective head explaining what is considered important, in this case, coming together.

Table 3 : Number of Coordinated Independent Clauses per Compound Sentence
Only one sentence was found to have three grammatical structures of the same rank coordinated.This is illustrated using the extract below:10.[Cost of living has become very unbearable;]1Ind.Cl. [businesses are collapsing,]2Ind.Cl. and [the unemployment rate has gone up.]3Ind.Cl.

Table 4 : Number and Type of Clause in Compound-Complex Sentences
The greatest number of independent clauses piled in a single compound-complex sentence is four.This is illustrated in the extract below.12.[My child, help your father in his old age]1Ind Cl. and [do not grieve him]2Ind Cl. [as long as he lives]Dep Cl. [even if his mind fails,]Dep Cl. [be patient with him;]3Ind Cl. [because you have all your faculties]Dep Cl. [do not despise him]4Ind Cl.

Table 7 : Nominal Clause Type Nominal Clause Types
There was a high preference for the THAT-clause by the former president.This dependent clause was used for verbal and adjectival complements.They provided information expansion.Examples of the THAT-clause found across the data are given below:16.I am confident that working together, the NDC will continue to be a strong and unified force and bring Ghana the deserved change in 2024.[04-Dec-23]17.It would appear that violence has become the new normal for the NPP in any electoral contest they are involved in.[26-Aug-23]