Journal of Language, Communication and Media Studies (JLACOMS)
The Journal of Language, Communication and Media Studies (JLACOMS) is an international open-access online peer-reviewed journal focusing on theory, research, application, and developments in the fields of Language, Communication, Media Studies, and emerging trends. The journal emphasizes rigorous studies using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods on topics related to theories and applications of Language, Mass Communication, Media Studies, and New Media, as well as case studies across various organizational settings, including both formal and informal contexts. JLACOMS publishes Twice a year in June and December. Each article is reviewed by two blind reviewers from an internationally recognized pool.
Department of Communication Studies, University of Professional Studies, Accra
Distinguishing Polysemy and Homonymy: Addressing Marginal Cases in Lexical Semantics
The two main linguistic concepts of polysemy and homonymy function as core principles in lexical semantics yet create ongoing academic disputes because both concepts involve multiple meanings that exist within one linguistic form. The theoretical framework suggests that related meanings should be separated from unrelated meanings yet the actual implementation of this framework encounters challenges through various intermediate cases. There are various works on the concepts of polysemy and homonymy in general but few have used evidence from African languages, especially Ghanaian languages. This paper investigates polysemy and homonymy by examining linguistic evidence from English and selected African languages which include Akan, Ga, Hausa, Dagbani, and Ewe. The paper examines how various methods established the two phenomena through processes that included etymology assessment, semantic relation determination, lexicographic methods, and structural linguistic evaluation. The paper argues that scholars should understand the boundary between polysemy and homonymy as a spectrum which exists between two extreme points based on existing research. The study presents a theoretical framework which explains how multilingual languages in particular affect semantic research and lexicographic work and language documentation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Language, Communication and Media Studies (JLACOMS)
COMMUNICATION GAPS AND EMPLOYABILITY OUTCOMES: EXAMINING LISTENING AND SPEAKING CHALLENGES AMONG UNDERGRADUATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, ACCRA.
This study explores the listening and speaking challenges faced by undergraduates at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) and examines how this communication gaps affect their perceived employability readiness. While communication skills are essential for academic and professional success, a persistent gap remains between graduate competence and industry expectations. Guided by Dell Hymes’ Ethnography of Speaking (SPEAKING) model, the study treats communication as a context-dependent social practice. The study adopted a mixed-methods survey design involving 200 undergraduate students across seven academic programmes and 10 Communication Skills lecturers. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, with quantitative data analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative responses subjected to thematic analysis. Findings reveal widespread challenges: over 60% of students struggle to follow lectures because of rapid speech and technical terminology, while 76% feel nervous during public speaking. Furthermore, 72% reported low confidence during presentations. Although students recognize the importance of oral communication for workplace success, fewer than half feel confident about their abilities during job interviews. These deficiencies significantly affect graduates’ professional readiness. The study recommends integrating sustained oral communication training across university curricula, specifically through presentation-based assessments, mock interviews, and workplace simulations, to bridge the competency gap and strengthen students’ employability skills in professional contexts.
Listening Skills; Speaking Skills; Communication Competence;
BLENDING TRENDS IN PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT NAMES IN GHANA: A PHARMACO-ONOMASTIC STUDY
The Pharmacy Council of Ghana mandates that medicine brand names reflect their active ingredients to communicate composition and therapeutic effects effectively. This framework encourages word-formation processes, particularly blending, in pharmaceutical naming. However, the blending strategies used by Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies often diverge from traditional linguistic norms. This study explores the blending trends in medicine brand names, aiming to identify types of blends and evaluate their effectiveness in conveying product composition to users. Data was sourced from locally manufactured medicines registered with the Food and Drugs Authority of Ghana, focusing specifically on brand names created through blending. The analysis revealed various blending types, such as acronyms, initialisms, initial-syllabic blends, and others, with initial-syllabic blending being the most common and effective in communicating ingredient information. Nonetheless, some blending practices obscure meanings, potentially leading to confusion and medication errors. The study recommends establishing a national pharmaceutical naming policy to standardize blending patterns, align linguistic practices with regulatory and patient-safety goals, enhance drug identification, improve public understanding, and reinforce existing pharmaceutical regulations in Ghana.
brand naming, blending process, pharmaceutical, pharmacy council, word formation
Black Propaganda or Solution-Oriented Journalism? Online News Portals Frame Construction of the Post-COVID-19 Depreciation of the Ghanaian Cedi
Through quantitative content analysis, the researchers deductively coded four negative and four constructive frames to examine critically how graphic.com; myjoyonline.com; 3news.com, and Ghanaweb.com have constructed their frames on the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi using web scraping with Python the news articles retrieve articles. The study also analyzed the extent of occurrence of the phenomenon, as well as the tones and angle of reportage during the peak of the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi (August, September, and October 2022) using Tone Analyzer by IBM. The findings show that graphic.com predominantly adopted constructive variables like “concern”, “solution-oriented”, “solidarity”, and “inclusiveness”, while myjoyonline.com, GhanaWeb.com, and 3news.com which have wide global access, and audiences reported negative frames such as “conflict”, “blame”, “denial”, and “sensationalism”. The analysis also showed that myjoyonline.com, GhanaWeb.com, and 3news.com adopted more blame attribution, and sensationalism frames, instead of concern, solution-oriented, and solidarity frames. The findings further suggest that there were changes in frame appearance such as concern, blame, and inclusiveness at different months of the post-COVID-19 depreciation of the cedi. This study again finds that inadequate robust online media regulatory frameworks in Ghana have led to ineffective and negative web portal reportage of issues related to the economy, especially post-COVID-19 era. In conclusion, the study recommends that the National Media Commission (NMC) and other regulatory institutions put in place strict online media regulatory frameworks to guide the operations of online media, especially web portals.