Mitigating face-threatening acts in ethnic languages: A case of Chindali conversations in Songwe Region, Tanzania

Neema Kibona; Shingwa Magashi; Eliakimu Sane

doi:10.51867/ajernet.6.3.82

Authors

Neema Kibona
nekibona@gmail.com
University of Dodoma, Tanzania
Shingwa Magashi The University of Dodoma, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6036-0380
Eliakimu Sane The University of Dodoma, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1596-9549

Keywords:

Chindali, Conversation, Ethnic Language, Face-Threatening Acts

Abstract

Understanding how to mitigate face-threatening acts in the course of making communication offers valuable insights into the unique nature of languages and communities. This paper examines how address terms manage face-threatening acts in Chindali conversation. The study is based on a qualitative research design whereby the data were collected by participant observation and interviews with native speakers in the Kapelekeshi, Kalembo, Ngulughulu and Kafule villages of the Songwe region in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Interviews were conducted with 20 participants obtained through purposive sampling technique until the point of saturation. The study is couched in the linguistic politeness theory by Penelope Brown and the interactional sociolinguistic theory by John Gumperz. The data were analysed using a thematic approach. The findings reveal that address terms are used as tools for overcoming face-threatening acts (FTAs) in Chindali conversation. FTAs are divided into positive politeness and negative politeness. Address terms, such as pronouns, titles, and honorifics, were noted as crucial tools in managing interpersonal relations and mitigating FTAs by offering avenues for politeness. The study recommends studies on address terms in other individual ethnic languages to come up with a reasonable understanding of how address terms mitigate face-threatening acts.

Dimensions

REFERENCES

Ackermann, T. (2023). Mitigating strategies and politeness in German requests. Journal of Politeness Research, 19(2), 355-389. https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2021-0034 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2021-0034

Agbaglo, E. (2017). The use of politeness strategies in the analysis and discussion sections of English research articles. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 7(9), 30-42.

Ahmed, M. B., & Ghaffori, A. A. M. (2019). Non-verbal politeness in English etiquette books and prophetic Sunnah. Journal of University of Human Development, 5(3), 156-167.

https://doi.org/10.21928/juhd.v5n3y2019.pp156-167 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21928/juhd.v5n3y2019.pp156-167

Aijmer, K., & Andersen, G. (2011). Introducing the pragmatics of society. Pragmatics of Society, 1(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110214420.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110214420.1

Akindele, D. F. (2008). Sesotho address forms. Linguistik Online, 34(2), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.13092/lo.34.524 DOI: https://doi.org/10.13092/lo.34.524

Ambuyo, B., Indede, F., & Karanja, P. (2011). Face threatening acts and standing orders: 'Politeness' or 'politics' in the question time discussions of the Kenyan Parliament. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(9), 209-218.

Botney, R. (1998). Prosodically conditioned vowel shortening in Chindali. Journal of Studies in Indian University, 27(1), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.32473/sal.v27i1.107386 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32473/sal.v27i1.107386

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511813085 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511813085

Coupland, J. (2000). Small talk. Longman.

Goffman, E. (1967). Interaction ritual: Essays on face-to-face behaviour. New York: Pantheon Books.

Hwang, S. (1991). Terms of address in Korean and American cultures. Intercultural Communication Studies, 1(2), 117-134.

Khairas, E. (2022). Terms of address to differentiate familiarities in Sundanese. In International Conference Proceedings of the 9th Asbam International Conference (Archeology, History, & Culture In The Nature of Malay) (ASBAM 2021). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (Vol. 660). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220408.047 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220408.047

Kibona, N. J. (2019). An analysis of a noun phrase in ichindali. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 10(5), 906-913. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1005.02 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1005.02

Kishindo, P. (1998). Dimunition, augmentation and pejorativeness in Icindali: The semantics of class 5/6, 3/4, 7/8 and 21. Journal of Humanities, 12(4), 44-55.

Lin, Y. (1935). My country and my people. New York: Reynal & Hitchcock.

Lusekelo, A. (2021). Linguistic aspects of the forms of address in Nyakyusa. Language in Africa, 2(1), 62-90. https://doi.org/10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-1-62-90 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-1-62-90

Magashi, S. (2017). Linguistic politeness in social interaction (PhD thesis). The University of Dodoma.

Mahmud, M. (2019). The use of politeness strategies in the classroom context by English university students. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(3), 597-606. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i3.15258 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i3.15258

National Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Tanzania Bureau of Statistics-2022. Population and housing census: Population distribution by administrative areas. Dar es Salaam.

Özcan, F. H. (2016). Choice of address terms in conversational setting. International Journal of Human Sciences, 13(1), 982. https://doi.org/10.14687/ijhs.v13i1.3489 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14687/ijhs.v13i1.3489

Praytno, H. J. (2017). Studi sosiopragmatic k. Surakarta: Muhammadiyah University Press.

Rwakakindo, I. D. (2021). A sociolinguistic analysis of verbal greetings, address forms and paralinguistic behaviours in Kisubi. Language in Africa, 2(1), 41-61. https://doi.org/10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-1-41-61 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-1-41-61

Sommer, G., & Lupapula, A. (2012). Comparing address forms and systems: Some examples from Bantu. In M. R. Marlo, N. B. Adams, C. R. Green, M. Morrison, & T. M. Purvis (Eds.), Selected proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference on African Linguistics: African languages in context (pp. 266-277). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.

Song, S. (2014). Politeness in Korea and America: A comparative analysis of request strategy in English communication. Korea Journal, 54(1), 60-84. https://doi.org/10.25024/kj.2014.54.1.60 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25024/kj.2014.54.1.60

Swilla, I. (2008). Signs of language shift in Chindali and the impact of Swahili. Language Matters, 39(2), 230-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/10228190802579635 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10228190802579635

Swilla, I., & Walsh, M. T. (2001). Linguistics in the corridor: A review of research in Bantu languages of south west Tanzania, north-east Zambia and north Malawi. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 8(7), 275-302.

Wahyuni, D. (2018). Types and function of address terms used by IPMK-SB "Kampar students studying in Padang." E-Journal of English Language and Literature, 7(1), 132-142. http://ejournal.unp.ac.id/index.php/jell