PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF RURAL DISCOURSE OF AMANDIM OLO VILLAGE MEETINGS

Abstract

This study is a pragmatic analysis of rural discourse of Amandim Olo village meetings. It explores how pragmatic inferences and contexts help in the maximization of point of relevance in communicative events using Sperber and Wilson‟s (1986) Relevance Theoretical Approach. Data are retrieved from audio recorded minutes of the discourse which is transcribed into English and analyzed qualitatively according to RT procedures. The findings reveal that complex (long) sentences, proverbs, elliptical statements, ostensive cues and deixis take longer processing efforts; but familiar words, and simple (short) sentences are easily processed. Thus, the researchers conclude that pragmatic inferences and contexts assist the hearer to interpret the speaker‟s communicative intentions in oral rural discourse of Igbo village meetings.