Abstract:
This thesis explores the study of apology in Gurune. The design for the study is
ethnography type. 20 participants were used for the study from dialects namely
Boone, Bolne, Talene, Nabt and Nankani. 4 participants from each dialect were
selected using a purposive sampling technique. The study instrument used was Audio recorded Role plays to allow participants to socially interact and by doing that the
participants assume and enact roles within stated circumstances. The participants’ age
range was from 12 to 60 years. 12 situations were considered for the study. The data
discovered that, the speakers use single, double or multiple strategies in expressing
apology. The data again revealed that, social distance and power influence the choice
of a particular politeness strategy in apology expression in Gurune. The study
discovered that when the speakers of Gurune use responsibility strategy in expressing
apology, they (offenders) threaten their faces by expressing self-deficiency, self blame and expression of embarrassment. On the other hand, Gurune chiefs save face
by not apologizing to somebody of low class. Also, husbands mostly save their faces
by either justifying by putting the blame on others or deny responsibility when
apologizing to their wives. Friends sometimes minimize the severity of the offense by
reminding the offended about the relationship that exists between them. They do these
to avoid apology in other not to face threatened. The study also proved that, the
speakers modify apology by using intensifiers, excaims and address terms. It was
again confirmed that, apology expressions in Gurune show the belief of the Gurune
people in the supremacy of God. The data proved that, Gurune speakers use proverbs
in their apology expressions and this testifies to the fact that, there are evidence of
Gurune culture in terms of apology giving. It was discovered that, the speakers save
face by involving the use of their ancestors and their totemic ancestors to prove how
deeply sorry they are. The data again showed that, Gurune people belief in
brotherhood and sisterhood and for that matter in order to mitigate the offense and not
to be face threatened, they remind the offended people how they relate.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Applied Linguistics,
Faculty of Foreign Languages Education and Communication,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Applied Linguistics)
in the University of Education, Winneba
January, 2020