Speaker-Addressee Interactions in Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God: An Accommodation Theory Approach

Abstract

The paper examines accommodation strategies adopted by speakers in their interactions. Accommodation strategies in oral discourse are convergence and divergence. Speakers are said to be in convergence when they adapt to the speech patterns of their interlocutors and to be in divergence when the verbal differences are emphasized. Using Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God, this study seeks to identify the accommodation strategies adopted by the characters and the motivations for the strategies. It also seeks to determine the impacts of the strategies on the behaviour of the interlocutors. To achieve these objectives; six sample excerpts purposively selected from the text are used as data. Findings show that convergent and divergent strategies identified are mainly motivated by the addressee, social distance, the situation and power structure. Convergence strategy adopted by the interlocutors strengthened the cordial relationship and feelings of solidarity while divergence strategy stirred hostility and indicated dissociation from the negative behaviour of the interlocutors concerned. In conclusion, convergence accommodation strategy promotes cordiality and enhances social interactions while divergence strategy encourages hostility and ill-feelings.