Journal of Pragmatics Research

Metaphorical Euphemisms in Dholuo Marriage Conflict Resolution Program ‘Dak Man Gi Ndhadhu’ on Radio Nam Lolwe

Felix Owino — 2025-11-03

This paper investigates the Marriage Conflict Resolution (MCR) discourse among Dholuo speakers, which is full of taboo words, particularly those with sexual connotations and other obscenities. The purpose is to examine the use of metaphorical euphemisms by interlocutors to enhance the comprehension of ideas and to politely avoid taboos for culturally acceptable communicative purposes. The study employs a cognitive linguistics approach to analyze these metaphorical euphemisms. Using a descriptive research design, data are collected through Key Informant Interviews and a digital corpus from the Dholuo marriage conflict resolution program Dak Man Gi Ndhadhu on Radio Nam Lolwe, a vernacular station for Dholuo speakers broadcasting in Kisumu County, Kenya. The Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit (MIPVU) is employed to interrogate whether the expressions and lexical items identified are metaphorical. The items are then transcribed and translated into English.The study findings show that MCR metaphorical euphemisms are conceptualized through the interlocutors’ experiences, such as actions, organisms, food, body parts, journeys, objects, human beings, and nature. The findings indicate that Dholuo speakers effectively apply their understanding of these concepts to enhance their comprehension of marital issues. The study focuses solely on the cognitive-linguistic processes underlying metaphorical euphemism and not on gender-based perspectives. The study concludes that Dholuo speakers conceptualize MCR issues through metaphorical euphemisms to avoid taboo language.

Technology-Assisted Informal Pragmatic Learning Among EFL Learners: Awareness, Speech Acts, And AI Tools

Dewi Cahyaningrum — 2025-11-27

In today’s digitally connected world, developing pragmatic competence is essential for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This competence encompasses both pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic abilities, which are critical for using language appropriately across diverse contexts. This study explores how EFL learners informally develop pragmatic competence through digital and AI-assisted learning outside formal classroom settings. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected from 20 purposively selected Indonesian EFL learners through questionnaires and interviews. The study investigates three dimensions: learners’ pragmatic awareness and practices, types of speech acts acquired informally, and the digital tools they employ. Findings reveal that learners show a notable awareness of context-sensitive and polite language use, which is often shaped by repeated exposure to digital content. Commonly acquired speech acts include polite requests, expressions of gratitude, and compliments—frequently encountered in online media. In contrast, more complex acts such as refusals and complaints were less frequently acquired, suggesting limited exposure and the need for deeper sociopragmatic engagement. Learners demonstrated proactive engagement with digital platforms, highlighting the mediating role of technology in informal pragmatic development. Tools such as ChatGPT were valued for their dialogic simulation and personalized feedback, while Grammarly assisted with tone adjustment in written communication. Although digital tools enhance pragmatic awareness, their effectiveness in fostering sociocultural sensitivity appears limited without reflective guidance. This study underscores the need for pedagogical scaffolding to complement informal, AI-assisted learning environments.

Understanding Social Status through Social Deixis and Politeness Strategy in German Series Maxton Hall: The World Between Us

Cattleya Ismi Arafah — 2025-11-28

Using Brown and Levinson's (1987) approach, this study examines how politeness and social deixis are used in the German television series Maxton Hall: The World Between Us. The study uses a qualitative descriptive methodology, collecting, classifying, and analyzing data according to the model developed by Miles and Huberman. The analysis finds 196 social deixis, including 35 politeness strategies and relational and absolute forms. Relational social deixis, which mainly expresses intimacy between speakers, seems to occur far more frequently than absolute deixis. The characters' attempts to maintain their dignity and negotiate hierarchical relationships in the affluent setting of Maxton Hall are also evident in the prevalence of Negative Politeness and Off-record strategies. The results imply that politeness strategies and social deixis serve as linguistic instruments for communicating familiarity, controlling social distance, and resolving power dynamics. All things considered, this study shows how Maxton Hall language reflects larger societal trends in German communication, where deixis and politeness are used to strike a balance between authority and intimacy in intricate social structures.

A Pragmatic Analysis of Muharikah’s Novel Sayang yang Tak Terungkap (2023)

Muhammad Danial — 2025-12-11

This research examined the politeness strategies employed by the protagonist, Iman Syahirah, in Sayang yang Tak Terungkap (2023), a Malaysian Islamic novel written by Muharikah. Using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory through a pragmatic analysis, the study identifies and interprets the characters' expressions within diverse social and professional settings. Using a qualitative descriptive method along with documentation and content analysis techniques, the research identifies and interprets the character's expressions within diverse social and professional settings. The results indicate that Iman Syahirah utilizes all four categories of politeness strategies—positive politeness, negative politeness, bald on-record, and off-record. Positive politeness fosters solidarity and empathy among patients and colleagues, whereas negative politeness indicates caution, respect, and an understanding of social distance. The bald-on-record approach emphasizes professional confidence and ethical power, while off-record reflects delicate communication consistent with cultural and religious awareness. These results suggest that politeness in this Islamic novel serves not merely as a linguistic tactic but also as a representation of gender beliefs, power dynamics, and Islamic principles in the Malay-Islamic community. As a result, this research adds to the domain of literary pragmatics by combining linguistic examination with social context and religious identity in depicting a professional Muslim woman.

An Excerpt-based Approach to Thematic Identification and Patterns in Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born

Yemisi Mulikat Famakinwa — 2025-12-16

Recently, literary works have enjoyed global recognition, especially among scholars who are interested in both the language use and literary devices therein. Literary works thus have varying ideas and experiences which shape the outcome of the literary work or piece, and talk more about the background of the writer. Hence, African writers in their literature reflect their culture and experiences. Data for this study are sourced from three thematic statements that capture succinctly the three central themes in Armah’s “The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.” It is worth knowing that the three thematic statements are the same as the three selected sentence excerpts in the novel. With insight drawn from postcolonialism(literature) and Systemic Functional linguistics(grammar), the study avers that themes in both language/grammar and literature provide information. Findings show that thematic statements or sentence excerpts contain certain lexical items that, coincidentally, serve as yardsticks in determining the location of themes in grammar. This is the point of convergence between the theme in language/grammar and literature. The study concludes that themes in both language and literature are partly determined by the occurrences of certain lexical items, which may be thematised, especially in thematic statements/sentence excerpts that capture the literary themes to basically infer meaning.

Discursive Sovereignty: How China Constructs Hong Kong as an “Internal Affair”

Ka Hang Wong — 2025-12-19

This study examines the discursive construction of sovereignty in Hong Kong through a critical discourse analysis of political speeches, legal documents, and press releases spanning from the 1984 Sino-British negotiations to the post-2020 National Security Law era. The research aims to investigate how the totalitarian party-state in China legitimizes its authority over Hong Kong while simultaneously ignoring forms of British nationality held by Hongkongers, and how democratic states, particularly the United Kingdom, respond through visa and asylum pathways. Using a qualitative methodology grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis, the study traces the historical and ideological roots of the narrative of “internal affairs” as constructed through key state discourses and examines how these discourses intersect with concepts of self-determination, civic participation, and legal frameworks. The findings reveal that China employs a combination of hegemonic persuasion and institutional control to frame Hongkongers’ political aspirations as illegitimate, while international responses reflect broader tensions between democratic protection and authoritarian compliance. The research highlights the ongoing contestation of norms surrounding sovereignty, rights, and freedom, illustrating how Hong Kong has become a frontline in the global struggle between democratic and authoritarian discourses. The study concludes that understanding these dynamics provides insight into the mechanisms through which states assert power, control narratives, and shape transnational perceptions of legitimacy, with implications for both international relations and civic activism.

Attitudinal Lexemes in Diplomatic Discourse: An Appraisal Analysis of President Prabowo Subianto’s 2025 UNGA Speech

Evi Endarti — 2025-12-24

This study examines how attitudinal lexemes shape Indonesia’s diplomatic stance in President Prabowo Subianto’s 2025 address to the United Nations General Assembly. Drawing on Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (1994) and Martin and White’s (2005) Appraisal Framework, the analysis examines evaluative patterns across Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation. A total of 60 attitudinal lexemes were identified: 18 Affect lexemes expressing empathy, collective resolve, and shared humanity; 17 Judgment lexemes articulating moral evaluation and leadership expectations; and 25 Appreciation lexemes assessing international institutions, achievements, and global challenges. While the predominance of positive evaluation aligns with UNGA genre conventions, the findings suggest that such positivity also serves a strategic purpose, legitimizing diplomatic authority, reinforcing moral credibility, and preempting dissent through the normalization of consensus-oriented values. This evaluative pattern contributes to the construction of a moralized international identity that implicitly constrains alternative or oppositional perspectives within global governance discourse. By foregrounding linguistic choices rather than political ideology, the study demonstrates how evaluative language operates as a subtle mechanism of diplomatic legitimation on the global stage.