Socio-pragmatic Interpretation of the Communicative Silence in Asong Linus’ “The Crown of Thorns”: A Recent Study

Abstract

The complexity of human language as a semiotic system has led to considerable debates about linguistic expressions in conversational discourse and in particular on the various forms of silence or a pause as a communicative act in narrative texts. This debate largely reflects contrasting views on non-verbal utterances and their meaning in speech. Where verbal language is often used, the non-verbal aspect is regarded as inarticulate and uncommunicative. However, Asong Linus, in his novel ‘The Crown of Thorns’ [1], makes effective use of the various forms of silence as a more powerful style of expression than words. Few writers have succeeded to use this technique of communicative silence effectively the way Asong Linus does in this novel, to develop the plot, characters and his craftsmanship. The aim of this paper to highlight on the significance of silence as an effective tool in communication that is no less powerful than speech or writing. It attempts to demonstrate how verbal language sometimes fails to communicate and that silence becomes a more effective communicative means in conveying otherwise profound relevant thoughts and emotions. Silence, pauses and hesitation forms become complementary alternative for verbal language. The study of how one can say and mean a lot by not uttering a word and, yet create a greater impact is the objective of this investigation. Pragmatics paves the way of understanding how language is used in context and more precisely the way context can influence our understanding of certain linguistic utterances. To achieve this end, various forms of non-verbal communicative silence acts were collected after several readings of the novel, examined, and analysed in order to highlight their significance in different instances of use described as communicative acts. Particular focus is on instances of silence, the short and long pauses employed by some major characters to communicate deep seated reality and emotions. To analyse this data, a combination of theories could be relevant, notably, the Critical Discourse Analysis, Sperber, Wilson’s Relevance (RT) theory, and Austin’s Speech Act (SA) theory, have proven adequate and useful approaches capable of handling and understanding how members of the Nweh community use silence, pauses and hesitation as linguistic utterances to effectively communicate deep feelings within the Nweh social and cultural contexts. After the analysis, several findings can be highlighted, notably, that silence and/or pauses as a stylistic device reveal the psychological state of speakers and demonstrate either awkwardness, appalling, embarrassment, defense, uncertainty and fear associated with deep feelings of frustration, anxiety, as well as a barrier that shuts down communication, but equally move the conversational objectives forward establishing confidence, comfort, reflection, a degree of peace, respect, and self-mastery on the part of the respondent. In conclusion, communicative silence is a helpful tool to shroud intentionality, and by being silent, the speaker expresses another kind of emotional reality, thoughts, empathy promoting and maintaining the existing social relationship. It further reveals that faced with new challenges, silence comes in spontaneously as a response that gives a speaker the chance to reflect in order to provide an appropriate response, and insure that what is said and done is on target, intelligent, and useful. In this text, silence speaks louder than words.