Discourse patterning in discourses in traditional Igbo setting: An analysis of Rosecolette Ewurum’s A fight for the gods

Abstract

This work investigates the Discourse Patterning in traditional
Igbo culture as reflected in Ewurum’s (2016) A Fight for the
gods. It affirms that language reflects the effective history of
the communication of a community and the world’s
opportunity of getting enriched experiences through the
tradition and language of a people. The predominant culture
and values inherent in a community shape not just their ways
of life, but, their linguistic choices, expressions and
experience. This study assesses the various performatives
exploited in the selected text using the theoretical framework
propounded by Austin (1975) on performative speech acts,
which explain that utterances in discourses play specific roles.
Insights are also drawn from Searle’s (1999) speech acts
which are improved form of the study on Austin's five
categories of performatives. Thirteen samples of interactions
from Ewurum's A Fight for the gods constitute data base for
analysis. From the study, it is concluded that utterances have
functional relevance in discourses among interlocutors in
traditional settings. The uninterrupted turn-taking norms in
discourses reflect the linguistic behaviour as well as
relationship between language and the traditional society.Linguistic choices are to a great extent context-dependent. The
solidarity dimension accounts for patterns of linguistics
interaction. How well one knows the interlocutor partner
determines how to talk to them. The linguistic choices reflect
the degree of solidarity between the speaker and addressee. It
is recommended that users of language should avoid the use of
some behavitives like cursing and challenging which can stir
conflict and use of altercative utterances like name calling.
Also teachers of literature and English as second language
should teach the language of the text, not just the thematic
preoccupations, so that appropriate linguistic competences
will be inculcated especially in the use of exercitives. Also, the
societal norms and values conveyed in the languages of a
community will be learned by the students and other readers of
the culture-based texts.