A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF MARKET COMMUNICATION IN KATSINA METROPOLIS

Abstract

This paper examines Market Communication in Katsina Metropolis.
It analyses two different buyer-seller interactions from two different
shops in Katsina city, adopting Speech Act Theory. The data were
collected through phone recording of the interactions between buyers
and sellers at two shops in Katsina city. The findings of the study
reveal that Expressives are mainly used at the beginning and end of
the market exchanges to establish politeness, build rapport and
maintain social relations; Directives appear mostly in the middle
stages of the interaction where the buyer asks questions, and they
show how language is used to move the transaction forward. Also,
Assertives present factual information such as prices or availability of
the products, defining the negotiation space. In addition; at the end
of the market interactions, Commissives are employed when either
party (Seller or buyer) signals commitment to buying, selling, or future
patronage. The study concludes that Speech Act Theory provides an
effective framework for explaining how ordinary market interactions
or communication are organised and interpreted in real-life contexts.