IGBO ORAL TRADITIONAL DIRGE

This study is a pragmatic analysis of Igbo oral traditional dirge. It examined the contextual usage of Igbo oral traditional dirge. The study aims at analyzing how pragmatic elements such as speech acts contribute to the meaning and function of Igbo dirges. It investigates the meaning and contextual usage of the Igbo dirge specifically Owerre-Ebeiri dirges. The study also ascertains how dirges affect communication strategies in Igbo language. A qualitative approach was applied. The approach allows for an in-depth exploration of the context, language choices, and communicative intentions embedded in the dirges. Data for this study was collected through oral interviews with native Igbo speakers who are rooted in the dirge singing. The researcher also listened to recordings of the songs and translated them from Igbo to English to get primary information. Additionally, written sources like journals, dissertations, and previous research by scholars were used as secondary sources. The theoretical framework used for this study is the Ethnography of communication, using Dell Hymes SPEAKING MODEL for it’s analysis theory. The theoretical framework adopted in this work help to ascertain the settings of the data as used in various context, participants involved, the ends or goals of the data, the key or tone of the data as it depicts the feelings of the participants, the medium of conveying the data, the various norms used in the data and the genre which the data belong. The findings reveal how the role of pragmatics elements, such as speech acts, in Igbo dirges in Owerre-Ebeiri is crucial for conveying specific intentions and emotions. These dirges use poetic and metaphorical language to capture the essence of the deceased and express grief. They serve as a means of cultural expression and communication, fostering a collective sense of mourning and facilitating the sharing of memories.