A Pragmatic Analysis of Cultural Influence on Politeness Markers in the Yoruba Context

Culture plays a significant role in language use. It is a parameter for measuring communicative competence of a language user. Thus, the use of language is the function of the culture that owns the language. This study is predicated on Grice’s (1975) conversational implicature theory. Data was got from recorded conversations in different natural settings in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. The focus of the study is on politeness markers in “leader-follower”, “husband-wife”, “father-son”, “buyer-seller”, “friend-friend” and “elder brother-younger brother” conversations. Ten tape recordings were made out of which, seven were used for analysis. The pragmatic analysis of cultural influence on politeness has revealed the influence of culture on politeness markers in the Yoruba context. The study has also revealed the persuasive approach employed by the interlocutors to maintain and sustain conversation. It has been discovered that culture has conditioned the husband to assert while the wife is culture-bound to obey the assertion of her husband. This paper, therefore, recommends that language users should be exposed to the culture of the language being used as it will broaden their knowledge on how to sustain and maintain face saving act in a conversation. The knowledge of culture will definitely enhance the communicative competence of language users.