Chinese and Nigerian Address Forms: A Cultural Study.

Abstract

Every culture has a unique way of address. Address behavior is governed by politeness phenomenon which is culturally bound. This paper attempts to study the culturally driven forms of address in China and Nigeria. In doing this, it explores the cultural differences and similarities in value systems and their underlying philosophical sources. The study will help people develop a full understanding of the meanings of the address terms, and of the polite intention in social contacts so as to facilitate cross-cultural communication. This paper likes also to make it clear that though Chinese has a single majority culture adopted by other 55 cultural groups; Nigeria has three conflicting majorities that try to overtake one another in leading over 632 culture groups thereby building a form of acculturation in their address forms. However, there is need to mention which of the three Nigerian culture groups, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, that owns a particular address form if need arises.