NAMING AS INTERTEXTUAL STRATEGY IN CHINUA ACHEBE'S NOVELS, ARROW OF GOD AND THINGS FALL APART

This study aims to undertake a critical examination of 'naming' as an intertextual discursive strategy within the novels of Chinua Achebe, specifically Arrow of God and Things Fall Apart. Intertextuality, as a theoretical concept, indicates the ways texts or utterances are shaped by and connected to prior works. The research focuses on elucidating the intertextual relationship between the names selected by the author and his socio-cultural context, as well as exploring the linkage between those names and the characters they denote. In African societies, especially in the Igbo setting where the author comes from, naming carries substantial communicative significance. Therefore, the use of naming as a communicative device within the Igbo society depicted by Achebe in the novels is analyzed with reference to its broader implications and communicative function. The pragmatic and contextual dimensions of names within these novels are investigated to determine their contribution to the overall communicative development of the narratives. Furthermore, the study addresses the importance of selected intertextual elements present in the novels. Pragmatics is adopted for the analysis of the data generated. Key words: naming, intertextuality, pragmatics, culture, literature