(IM) POLITENESS IN ONLINE DISCUSSION ON NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS AND NIGERIAN EDUCATION MINISTER’S INTERACTIONS

Abstract

This paper examines the discourse (actions and reactions) between Nigeria’s Education Minister and Nigerian students as it concerns ASUU strikes. Over the years, language, be it verbal or non-verbal, has served as human beings’ tool for expression of ideas, emotions, as well as agitation for their rights. Language of protest has been part of students’ survival mechanism in tertiary institutions generally, often triggered by perceived unfavourable conditions of learning and nonchalance on the part of the government to respond to their plights. Bearing in mind that context is a major consideration in utterance meaning and interpretation, this research is hinged on Brown and Levinson’s (1978/1987) Politeness Principles while adopting Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs) and Face-Saving Acts (FSAs) as analytical tools. Using a descriptive research design, the study analysed twenty (20) online comments, purposively selected from Facebook, Nairaland, Youtube and Vanguard.ngr.com respectively, which serve as the data. Findings are that clearly, the actions, verbal and non-verbal, of both sides of the divide, threatened the face of either party. While the Education Minister’s act of walking out on the students was both face-saving and relatively, mildly face-threatening. The comments of the students, under reference, threatened the face of the Minister as most of them were enacted baldly on-record. The students went beyond the core issues under discussion to pour invectives on the Minister, maligned his person and brought his tribe and by implication his religion to odium. The study recommends that people should adopt politeness strategies timely, in conflict resolution, for national growth and development. Also, the teaching of politeness principles should be incorporated in the English Language section of the curriculum of General Studies in order to inculcate into every student the need for tactful employment of language in the face of challenges.