Exploring the socio pragmatic aspect of Almajirai discourse : Bara in Niger

This study investigated the socio-pragmatic content and functions of Bara. It seeks to provide insights on the way a given social group (Aalmajirai) constructed language patterns, bara in view to impacting positively on the minds of their addressees and serve their purpose within a given social fabric. Besides, Bara is viewed as a significant sociocultural phenomenon which has arguably been around since the event of Islamic religion in most West African countries. The naturally occurring data used were collected randomly based on observation and experience at different times, transcribed and analysed based on various available approaches. The study found out that the expressions used are true reflections of the feelings, concerns and needs of the population under study. The findings also revealed that Bara fulfilled the six functions of language. Strikingly, in this study the wind of linguistic and cultural dynamism did not blow in the context of this phenomenon as no variations nor change were depicted regarding this language. Laden with social and cultural dimensions these expressions Almajirai have developed as unique linguistic nuances that are socio-linguistically tied to their social and educational (Almajirci system) background are useful strategic competent communicative tools in their hands. As such and as things have since deteriorated, that the concept of Bara begging for food is misconceived, misinterpreted as synonymous to street begging translated as ‘un fait social’, worse as a social malaise, it is recommended further research should be undertaken to study the other face of the phenomenon. It is hoped the study will be of valued contribution to linguistic studies, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, educational psychology, education and least but not last to authority. {"references": ["Hofstede, G. Culture and organizations: Software of the mind 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2005", "Olateju,M, & Oyeleye, L Perspectives on language and literature. Ibadan: Awolowo University Press. 2005", "Tanimu Yusuf & Chidimma Esther Nwaobas Sociolinguistic Terminologies Used by Tricycle Operators in Lafiya Metropolis-Gwebuike: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 1. 2021.", "Yule, G. Pragmatics. Oxford University Press. 1996.", "Mey, J. Pragmatics: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell. 2001", "Faniran O.A., Transporting Morals across Borders: A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Moral / Philosophical Writings on Vehicles in Southwest Nigeria IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 24, Issue 2, 62-70 2019", "Bloor, T. & M. Bloor. The Functional Analysis of English (2nd ed) London: Edward Arnold. 2004", "Chiluwa, I. Religious Vehicle Stickers in Nigeria: A Discourse of Identity, Faith and Social Vision. Discourse and Communication. 2 (4), pp. 371-378. 2008", "Hymes, D. Foundations in Sociolinguistics: An Ethnographic Approach Taristocks Publications London, 1974", "Chapelle Carol, A. Some Notes on Systemic Functional Linguistics www.public.iastate.edu./\u00accarole/LING511/sfl.html (Retrieved on July 10, 2022, 1998", "Judith M. Language, Communication on Wheels and National Development: The inscriptions on Tricycle (Keke) Example International Journal of English and Literature Vol. 4(10), pp. 529-537, 2013", "Fairclough, N. Media discourse. London: Edward Arnold. 1995", "Cutting, J. Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis. London: Routledge. 2002", "Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. Handbook of qualitative research, thousand oaks (Calif). Sage. 1994", "Mugenda, O.M. & Mugenda, G.D. Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches Nairobi: ACTS Press 2003", "Van Dijk, T.A. Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis. University of Amsterdam 2006", "McGregor, S.L.T. Critical Discourse Analysis: A primer. Hslifax. Mount Saint Vincent2010", "Blommaert, J. & Bulcaen, C. Critical Discourse Analysis. Annual Reviews Publishers, 29, 447-466. 2000", "Wodak, R. Aspects of Critical Discourse Analysis. Sage Publications 2009.", "Fareed H. A. & Mariam D.S Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis. Journal of Education and Practice Vol.8, No.19, 2017.", "Puig, M. B. Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis. In gencat.cat 2003", "Labov W. Principles of Linguistic Changes: Social Factors. Malden M.A: Blackwell, 2001", "Wardhaugh,R. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 5th Edition. Oxford : Blackwell Publishing. 2006", "El-Nashar, M. & Nayef, H. Discourse on the go: Thematic analysis of vehicle graffiti on the roads of Egypt Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(5), (2016)."]}