A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF SELECTED YORUBA EUPHEMISMS

This research preoccupies itself mainly with the pragmatic analysis of the use of euphemisms in 
Yoruba language. It sets out to examine euphemisms as used by Yoruba speakers and to analyse 
the dynamics that govern their use by identifying the direct and indirect acts performed by 
Yoruba speakers in the selected euphemisms and to investigate the extent to which Politeness 
Maxims are adhered to in the selected euphemisms. Eighty seven euphemisms were used for 
analysis: thirty seven were gathered from the responses given on the word and sentence 
compilation task administered, while fifty others were gathered from conversations in recorded 
interviews and a Yoruba programme on African Independent Television, titled „Minijojo". The 
data is gathered through the use of a triangulation method which is a multiple method of 
gathering data via; observation, semi- structured interview and word and sentence compilation 
task. The work employs an eclectic theoretical framework by drawing insights from the Speech 
Acts theory proposed by Austin (1962) and Searle (1976); and the Politeness Principle as put 
forward by Brown and Levinson (1978&1987), which is based on the specification of the 
Politeness Maxims outlined by Leech (1993): Tact, Generosity, Approbation, Modesty, 
Agreement and Sympathy Maxims. The findings reveal that a large number of Yoruba speakers, 
who belong to the younger age group of  20-35 have little or no understanding at all of the use 
of euphemisms in Yoruba language, thus, they do not use them in conversations. The study also 
reveals that the data analysed in the study are used to perform assertive acts, directly and 
expressive acts indirectly as they help in projecting the speaker"s intention in the use of the 
euphemisms during conversations. Tact maxim, approbation maxim followed by the sympathy 
maxim, appears to be more powerful in the use of euphemisms by Yoruba speaker than others. 
This reflects the fact that in the use of euphemisms politeness is given so much credence as 
speakers strongly focus on pleasing others than self. Moreover, it is found that the negative 
euphemism is significantly used in Yoruba, because most of the euphemisms presented in the 
analysis used by the speakers were used as a means to avoid one taboo or the other. This in turn 
relates to the general law of politeness, of which the negative politeness (avoidance of discord) 
is of more weighty consideration than positive politeness (seeking concord).