Pragmatics of Authoritative Silence as a Conflict Control Strategy Among Traditional Rulers in Ogugu Community

Abstract

The study examined Pragmatics of Authoritative Silence as a conflict control strategy by traditional rulers in Ogugu community to achieve peaceful coexistence. A major objective is to analyze how these elders utilize pragmatics of silence as a communicative act to mediate conflicts among disputing members. Data were collected from the traditional elders using participant observation and open-ended interview. Data collected were analyzed using the instrumentality of descriptive and analytical research tools. The process of mediation by the elders revealed both verbal and non-verbal responses by the participants. Non-verbal is a language without words. Findings indicate that non-verbal behavior oozes out at every pore of humanity when communicating hence silence is an indispensable complement to spoken language. There can hardly be meaningful interpersonal or group communication without silence or untalk language. The study recommends that it is critical to develop the skills necessary to identify and interpret silence as a communicative resource through which participants derive meaning. The study adopted relevance theory developed by Sperber and Wilson (1995).

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