LUBA PEOPLE AND POLITENESS IN THEIR EVERYDAY SPEECHES

Abstract

I totally agree with Ayad Hameed Mahmood (2018), as he states that in the last few decades, communicative competence has received special attention in the field of language teaching and learning. Politeness has become one of the most active areas of research in language use by increasing interest in Grice’s (1975) cooperative principles (Chen, 2007). Studies from Brown and Levinson (1987) and Scollon and Scollon (1995) have aroused increasing attention in the study of politeness. The present article shed light on the way Luba people, one of numerous tribes of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, use politeness in their daily speeches. The aim is to provide Ciluba speakers with some literatures concerning their language as far as politeness is concerned, and the non-speakers of ciluba with some basic linguistic elements of that language, in case they happen to learn it. African continent is generally characterized by strong respect between its people. Bound to their culture, Africans feel much respect for members of their community (Ngondombo 2021). Luba areas, as part of African society, are characterized by their notoriousness as far as politeness is concerned. Lots of examples can be given to support this point of view of an old Congolese. For instance, to behave politely, a man cannot talk face to face with his mother-inlaw, or when addressing an old man the young boy or girl cannot stare at him in the eyes. Ladies must kneel when they serve men. It is impolite for a woman to pass between men, for instance. If they are asked to eat in the same plate with adults, young people must wait until the elder should start eating first, etc.