Indirections as Verbal Mode of Communication in Gurene

Authors

  • Joseph Ayamga Department of Languages, English Language Unit, St. John Bosco College of Education, P. O. Box 11, Navrongo, Ghana.
  • Patrick A. Apeligiba Department of Languages, English Language Unit, St. John Bosco College of Education, P. O. Box 11, Navrongo, Ghana.

Keywords:

Indirection, verbal communication, Functional Linguistics Theory, Discourse Research Design, Pragmatic Linguistics Method, linguistic taboos, societal norms

Abstract

The primary aim of this paper is to identify and assess the various types of indirections used by Gurene speakers for verbal communication and the roles that indirections play in the language. Indirections are generally used as verbal mode of communication in many languages. Speakers of various languages use indirections for distinct purposes; hence the conventions in which indirections are used vary across different languages. Figurative expressions are used in place of indirections in many languages including the English language for aesthetic value and other purposes. The most widely held view is that African languages use a lot of proverbs in speech. Conceivably, African languages rather use indirections. Ghanaian culture as in many African cultures obligates individuals and institutions to use indirections in speech in a manner that conforms to societal norms. The functional linguistics theory framework is adopted in the paper. The Discourse Research Design was used, and the Pragmatic Linguistics Method applied for gathering and analyzing both primary and secondary data. The findings revealed different types of indirections that play several distinct verbal communication roles comprising eschewing linguistics taboos, applying cultural communication norms, and for performing traditional, social, economic and political activities regarding verbal communication in the language. Though indirections are most cherished and valued because of their positive effects, the paper proved that some indirections exhibit negative impact. Hence, we recommend that the use of indirections that have adverse effects should be eschewed.

References

. Agyekum, Kofi. Ethnography of communication. ICDE, University of Ghana, 2010.

. Koder, Fransziska Maria. “Between direct and indirect speech.” PhD thesis, Groningen Dissertations in Linguistics 149, University of Groningen, 2016.

. Obeng, S. “Verbal indirection in Akan informal discourse.” Journal of Pragmatics, vol (21), pp. 37-65, 1994.

. Obeng,S. “Indirectness in pronominal usage in Akan discourse.” Journal of Language and Social Psychology, vol. (13), pp. 97-117, 1997.

. Agyekum, Kofi. Akan proverbs and aphorism about marriage. Research Review NS 27, 2012.

. Nsoh, E. A. Some aspects of Gurene word structure. M.A. Thesis. University of Ghana, 1997.

. Bodomo, Adams B. “Complex predicates and event structure: An integrated analysis of Mabia languages West Africa.” Working papers in Linguistics, 20, Department of Linguistics, University of Trondheim, Norway, 1993.

. Goodell, W. Elizabeth. “Direct and indirect in English-speaking children’s retold narratives.” Discourse production vol. (15 ), pp. 395 -422, 1992.

. Savelle-Toike, Muriel. Ethnograhy of communication. An introduction,Third Edition, USA: Blackwell Publishing, 2003.

. Egbert, Maria and Keating, Elizabeth. 2004 in Duranti Alassandro, A Companion to Linguistics Anthropology. (ed.), USA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.

. Kroskrity, V. Paul; Schieffelin, B. Bambi and Woodland, A. Language Idiologies. (eds.), New York: Oxford Press, 1998.

. Yankah, Kwesi. The proverb in the context of Akan rhetoric: A theory of proverb praxis. New York: Peter Lang Publishers, 1989.

. Turnbull, William. “An appraisal of pragmatic elicitation techniques for social psychological study of talk; the case of request refusals.” Psychology; Pragmatics, vol. (11), pp. 31-61, 2001.

. Halliday, M.A.K. Explorations in the functions of language. London: Arnold. 1973.

. Dik, S.C. Functional grammar. North- Holland, Amsterdam. 1978.

. Nichol, Joanna. “Functional theories of grammar.”Annual Review Anthropology, vol. (13), pp. 97-117. 1998

. DeLancey, Scott. On functionalism. University of Oregon, Linguistics Department, 2001.

. Givon. T. Syntax: A functional – typological introduction. Vol. (1), Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 2001.

. Hymes, Dell. Foundations in sociolinguistics. An ethnography approarch. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 1974.

. Duranti, Alessandro. Linguistics anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

. Sherzer, Joel. “Namakke, Sunmakke, Kormakke: Three types of cuna speech event,” in Richard Bauman and Joel Sherzer, (eds), Ethnography of speaking. pp. 26-82, Cambrdge: Cambridge University Press, 1974.

. Sherzer, Joel. 1983. “Kuna ways of speaking: An ethnographic perspective.” Austin: University of Texas Press.

. Emmitt et al. “Functionalism and Language Learning.” http://315631605254846606.weebly.com./fu, [May, 30, 2015]

Downloads

Published

2022-11-27

How to Cite

Ayamga, J., & Patrick A. Apeligiba. (2022). Indirections as Verbal Mode of Communication in Gurene. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, 90(1), 321–339. Retrieved from https://asrjetsjournal.org/index.php/American_Scientific_Journal/article/view/8176

Issue

Section

Articles