PRAGMATIC ACTS IN SELECTED CHRISTIAN AND ISLAMIC MARRIAGE SOLEMNIZATIONS IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

This study explores the spoken acts in both Christian and Islamic
marriage solemnizations in north-central Nigeria. Using pragmatic act
theory proposed by Mey (2006) ‘pragmeme’ as a theoretical basis, the
aim of the study is to examine the performance of marriage
solemnizations in the two major religions in north-central
Nigeria. The data for the study were purposively elicited from six
audio-video recordings sourced from family and friends who reside in
north-central Nigeria: three from Christian marriages and three from
Islamic marriages. All transcribed data were analysed using qualitative
analysis methods. The findings reveal that irrespective of the speech
acts involved in marriage solemnizations, the context of acting (pract)
carries more weight than the spoken act itself. The study concretizes
Mey’s stance that the negotiation of meaning is from the ‘outside in’
and not from the ‘inside out’ because meaning negotiation is derived
more from the environment in which the interactants find their
affordances rather than just the speech acts of their utterances.