A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach

Datondji Cocou André

doi:doi:10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach

Datondji Cocou André

Published in Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 3, Issue 1)

Received: 3 October 2017 Accepted: 31 October 2017 Published: 30 November 2017

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Abstract

This article is a pragmatic analysis of the figurative language used by the Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta in her novel “The Rape of Shavi” published in 1983. It is an attempt of interpretation of the implied meaning she conveys to her readers through allusions, metaphors, similes and symbols. The analyzed data were collected through a selection of some important instances of figurative language during the proofreading of the novel. The interpretations were made with the integration of references and presuppositions relating to the author’s sociocultural and educational background that constitutes the contextual makeup of the novel. The analysis of the figurative language instances reveals that more is being communicated than written and that the intended message can only be uncovered by reaching beyond the bare linguistic structure. I concluded that the novel is a multiple layer literary work that requires from the reader, the possession of a shared knowledge with the author in order to reach an efficient interpretation that discloses the very message that lies beyond the words.

Published in	Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 3, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12
Page(s)	5-14
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

The Rape of Shavi, Buchi Emecheta, Pragmatics, Figurative Language, Sociocultural Context, Educational Background, Shared Knowledge

References

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Datondji Cocou André. (2017). A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 3(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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Datondji Cocou André. A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2017, 3(1), 5-14. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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Datondji Cocou André. A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Commun Linguist Stud. 2017;3(1):5-14. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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@article{10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12,
  author = {Datondji Cocou André},
  title = {A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach},
  journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
  volume = {3},
  number = {1},
  pages = {5-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20170301.12},
  abstract = {This article is a pragmatic analysis of the figurative language used by the Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta in her novel “The Rape of Shavi” published in 1983. It is an attempt of interpretation of the implied meaning she conveys to her readers through allusions, metaphors, similes and symbols. The analyzed data were collected through a selection of some important instances of figurative language during the proofreading of the novel. The interpretations were made with the integration of references and presuppositions relating to the author’s sociocultural and educational background that constitutes the contextual makeup of the novel. The analysis of the figurative language instances reveals that more is being communicated than written and that the intended message can only be uncovered by reaching beyond the bare linguistic structure. I concluded that the novel is a multiple layer literary work that requires from the reader, the possession of a shared knowledge with the author in order to reach an efficient interpretation that discloses the very message that lies beyond the words.},
 year = {2017}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach
AU  - Datondji Cocou André
Y1  - 2017/11/30
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T2  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JF  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JO  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
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AB  - This article is a pragmatic analysis of the figurative language used by the Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta in her novel “The Rape of Shavi” published in 1983. It is an attempt of interpretation of the implied meaning she conveys to her readers through allusions, metaphors, similes and symbols. The analyzed data were collected through a selection of some important instances of figurative language during the proofreading of the novel. The interpretations were made with the integration of references and presuppositions relating to the author’s sociocultural and educational background that constitutes the contextual makeup of the novel. The analysis of the figurative language instances reveals that more is being communicated than written and that the intended message can only be uncovered by reaching beyond the bare linguistic structure. I concluded that the novel is a multiple layer literary work that requires from the reader, the possession of a shared knowledge with the author in order to reach an efficient interpretation that discloses the very message that lies beyond the words.
VL  - 3
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Datondji Cocou André

Department of English, Abomey-Calavi University, Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin

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APA Style

Datondji Cocou André. (2017). A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 3(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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Datondji Cocou André. A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2017, 3(1), 5-14. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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AMA Style

Datondji Cocou André. A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach. Commun Linguist Stud. 2017;3(1):5-14. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12

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@article{10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12,
  author = {Datondji Cocou André},
  title = {A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach},
  journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
  volume = {3},
  number = {1},
  pages = {5-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20170301.12},
  abstract = {This article is a pragmatic analysis of the figurative language used by the Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta in her novel “The Rape of Shavi” published in 1983. It is an attempt of interpretation of the implied meaning she conveys to her readers through allusions, metaphors, similes and symbols. The analyzed data were collected through a selection of some important instances of figurative language during the proofreading of the novel. The interpretations were made with the integration of references and presuppositions relating to the author’s sociocultural and educational background that constitutes the contextual makeup of the novel. The analysis of the figurative language instances reveals that more is being communicated than written and that the intended message can only be uncovered by reaching beyond the bare linguistic structure. I concluded that the novel is a multiple layer literary work that requires from the reader, the possession of a shared knowledge with the author in order to reach an efficient interpretation that discloses the very message that lies beyond the words.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Study of Context and Figurative Language in Buchi Emecheta’s “The Rape of Shavi”: A Pragmatic Approach
AU  - Datondji Cocou André
Y1  - 2017/11/30
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12
T2  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JF  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
JO  - Communication and Linguistics Studies
SP  - 5
EP  - 14
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2380-2529
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20170301.12
AB  - This article is a pragmatic analysis of the figurative language used by the Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta in her novel “The Rape of Shavi” published in 1983. It is an attempt of interpretation of the implied meaning she conveys to her readers through allusions, metaphors, similes and symbols. The analyzed data were collected through a selection of some important instances of figurative language during the proofreading of the novel. The interpretations were made with the integration of references and presuppositions relating to the author’s sociocultural and educational background that constitutes the contextual makeup of the novel. The analysis of the figurative language instances reveals that more is being communicated than written and that the intended message can only be uncovered by reaching beyond the bare linguistic structure. I concluded that the novel is a multiple layer literary work that requires from the reader, the possession of a shared knowledge with the author in order to reach an efficient interpretation that discloses the very message that lies beyond the words.
VL  - 3
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download