Discourse Features and Patterns among Nigerian Students

Résumé

Discourse encompasses the complex interplay of language, context, and social dynamics in communication, shaping how individuals convey meaning, and construct shared understanding within various contexts. This paper investigated the various strategies employed by Nigerian students with a focus on discourses of students of Grace Court International School, Awka. It sought to find out how the discourse participant that initiates a talk can affect a conversation. Data were collected through recordings of random conversations of students outside the classroom, in the classroom and telephone conversations. Adopting Conversational Analysis as its theoretical framework, the study identified some features such as turn taking and move as well as some discourse genres. Through qualitative analysis of spoken interactions, the study uncovers patterns, linguistic strategies, and cultural influences shaping communication within this demographic. The findings contributed to understanding the dynamics of Nigerian student discourse, shedding light on language use and social interactions. The findings in this study among others are: (1) follow up move is a reinforcement tool as it helps in developing confidence in students. (2) In a conversation, certain participants may transition from one topic to another abruptly, as they feel that the topic is either not fitting, intrusive or impolite.