PRAGMATIC ACT SEQUENCE IN JOHN KOLOSA KARGBO’s LET ME DIE ALONE

Abstract

The research is a descriptive qualitative research wherein visual
displays of pragmatic interferences determine the interpretation of
the utterances from the casts. The data selected for this research were
in the form of lingual units. Sampling of texts into twenty was done
by the presence of pragmatic acts through the verbal contents in the
utterances of the characters in the paly text. Mey’s (2001) Pragmatic
Act Theory served as the theory adopted to drive the arguments in the
utterance acts. The research reveals there are different types of
pragmatic act and sequences used by the characters in the text, Let Me
Die Alone. The PRACTs deduced from the play text include
requesting, negotiating, sexual advances, informing, reminding,
denying, warning, inciting, pacifying, encouraging, orientating,
assuring, deciding, announcing, taking charge, complaining,
condemning, deriding, wishing, lamenting, revealing, calling to order,
instructing, confessing and affirming the characters in Let Me Die
Alone. Specifically, the sequences observed in the activity and textual
acts of the characters in Let Me Die Alone include self-interest,
gratification, self-encouragement and alertness, self- revelation, selfdefence, self-imposition, self-pity, self- pleasing and self- attainment.The characters in Let Me Die Alone more often utilized questioning of
co-interlocutor’s ability and willingness to take decisive actions in the
play