ANALYSIS OF SELECTED NIGERIAN CULTURAL SIGNS AND SYMBOLS IN THE LIGHT OF PRAGMATICS AND SEMIOTICS

Abstract

This paper is an investigation into the Nigerian cultural signs and symbols to see how meaning is derived from their context of use and also ascertain what each of the signs and symbols stands for. The researcher uses pragmatics and semiotics as tools for the analysis. Pragmatics is that aspect of linguistics analysis that captures meaning of words within the context of use. In other words, the meaning in pragmatics is not sentence tied. Pragmatics is the relation of signs to interpreters. Semiotics is the study of sign not in isolation but as part of semiotic ‘sign systems’ such as a medium or genre. It is the study of how meanings are made: as such, being concerned not only with communication and maintenance of reality. The study adopts the purposive sampling technique to select pragmatically used cultural signs from across the South East, South South and North Central Nigeria. Fifteen sign objects were drawn from four tribes spread across the four regions. They were analysed using three theoretical models: Eco’s (1976) theory of sign production, Mey’s (2001) pragmatic acts theory and Hymes’ (1964). From the critical observations and analysis of the selected signs and symbols of this research paper, the study observed that their use in Nigeria have pragmatics implication and their meanings can be derived from their context of use. It also observed that each of these signs and symbols used in Nigerian cultural context or situations stands for said or unsaid words to underscore a particular reality.