Abstract:
Response tokens are important for people wishing to be able to function as supportive
interlocutors in a conversation. There is the need for interlocutors to ensure that their
interpretation of the speaker’s interactional intentions matches what he wanted to say
(Faerch and Kasper, 1982). This thesis investigates the pragmatic analysis of the use of
response tokens in Asante Twi. Specifically, the research focuses on the categories, and
importance of response tokens among the Asantes. The study based its analytical
framework upon Clancy et al.’s (1996), and other relevant analytic models. Data were
analyzed from interviews, recorded conversations and diary notes. The findings
revealed that speakers of Asante have two main types of response tokens: verbal and
nonverbal. The components of verbal response tokens are minimal, non-minimal,
cluster and laughter, while the nonverbal are body gestures such as head movements,
hand gestures, facial expressions, foot movement and silence. The analysis revealed
that the structure of some single words was interpreted as clauses. Again, others were
found to be reduplicated, religious, and negative in sense used as response tokens for
emphasis. Some of the functions of both verbal and nonverbal response tokens were
backchannels, agreement, disagreement, and alignment. Based on the findings, it is
argued that response tokens are very relevant in the conversations of speakers of Asante
Twi. This is because it contributes to sustain the flow of conversation. It is
recommended that further research should investigate whether cultural or gender issues
have an effect on how people use response tokens.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, FACULTY
OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION,
SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY
OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY
(APPLIED LINGUISTICS) DEGREE.
AUGUST, 2017