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 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

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.6.3.82

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.

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