3. Metalingual function
Communication demands participants' agreement on convention in
order for it to be efficient. Message is transmitted either by using speech
sounds or by using gestures. The second means is what we call metalingual
function. Referring to Roman Jakobson (1960: 351), the metalingual function is
used to reference to itself establishing mutual agreement on the code. This
involves the use of gestures and symbols which imply different meanings
depending on the culture as the eminent anthropologist Edward T. Hall (1959:
118) points out: «Gestures are used by all peoples although their
differ in form and meaning».
The metalingual function can be used either on its own or to
give more period information as a complement of oral speech. And regarding the
African people, gestures are common in everyday conversations. In this respect,
Richard E. Wood (1977: 118) asserts:
«If we talk without making any sort of movement of
the hands, body, forehead, or face, we will probably soon find communication
the almost impossible.»
In recent years, much attention has been directed toward the
variety of kinesics (the study of gestures, or body language) people make where
meaning is conveyed through non- verbal ways. Actually, both interlocutors
should have the same cultural background to better interpret the message.
Although a word is not said, the action is understood. A few examples of this
language function are found in The Slave Girl. But in this section, we
are going to consider only gestures and then facial expressions.
Since a literary text does not provide images, words
describing gestures are used instead. Accordingly, in this novel lexical items
like shrudding, nodding, waving are used. Paying attention to what Ozubu is
saying, addressees use cultural gestures to express communication. This is
illustrated in the passage below:
«There is some truth in the saying that we die as we
die,» Ozubu, the plump wife of Nwadei, remarked as she watched the
sorrowful group move away. Her listerners nodded in silence. (Buchi
Emecheta, 1977: 24)
In this quotation, the verb expressing the metalingual
function is 'nodded» because it implies the non- verbal communication.
From this passage, we might assume that «nodded» means 'yes'. Thus,
we could say that receivers' characters agree on the saying.
The same gesture is also observed through the following
example:
«Don't blame me,» said the big girl, defending
herself. «The Owerri people marry their wives like that, and then come to
the market for her to be equipped.» Okolie nodded. «Not just Oweri
people. Many of our people do it.» To himself he said, Is it not the same
as I am now about to do to my little sister, you as she is [...].»
(Buchi Emecheta, 1977: 50)
It is relevant to note from the above passage that
«nodded» does mean the same as the preceding one. Here it is used
ironically to get rid from stupid questions which Ma Palagada is asking Okolie.
The metalingual function is also expressed through facial expressions. In fact,
they are mostly concerned with laughs, and smiles in The Slave Girl.
The first facial expression we are going to be concerned with
is laugh. According to Glenn (2003: 5), it is «an action by which
participants can affiliate or disaffiliate with each other». In fact,
the nature or the function of laugh is not unified, but differ depending on the
context. People laugh for different purposes. In The Slave Girl, they
are used to express happiness, mockery and irony.
In fact, in The Slave Girl, as in most of African
culture, laughs are used to express first happiness. In this respect, sharing
laughter (laughing with) constitutes time out from sorrow. Thus, the most
telling example is from the sentence below:
They all laughed again and someone, probably Chiago,
wondered if a woman as thin and ill-looking as that could ever bear children of
her own (Buchi Emecheta, 1977: 102)
Actually, the lexical item expressing the metalingual function
in this passage is the verb «laughed». This verb connotes the sense
of friendliness between characters.
However, laugh, pulled out by some characters, also expresses
mockery amongst them as illustrated in the example below:
Uteh burst out laughing. «I went to Onitsha some
time ago,» she said, «and I saw a group of people playing and beating
a funny kind of drum, and they were blowing some shiny things - is that what
you call a band? (Buchi Emecheta, 1977: 153)
In the above quotation, the phrase that expresses the
metalingual function is «burst out of laughing». It is used here by
Uteh to disappoint Ojebeta about her ambition to be married in the church.
Additionally, laugh expressing mockery is observed the following narrator's
report:
They all laughed briefly, and Ojebeta covered her face as
she ran preceding her mother to the kernel sellers' stall, her waist beads
juggling with her safety charms. (Buchi Emecheta, 1997: 25)
Evidently, it is important to note from this passage that
«laughed briefly» expresses the metalingual function in the sense it
is used here to signify the addresser' state.
All these usages of laugh have one thing in common. Laughter
marks and reflects sensitivity and delicacy of confrontational practices. In
all, laugh displays participants' understanding of the affective nature of
action. In this respect, laugh is deal more than a mere index of amusement.
Another facial expression conveying the metalingual function
in The Slave Girl is the verb `smile'. It is used to show agreement,
shame, hesitation, search of comfort, and proving comfort. But our work will be
restricted to providing comfort and shame.
In fact, facial expressions may supplement words, that is to
say to give additional meaning. The following quotation is the good
illustration: «Okwuenkwu had smiled, and he had chewed
kolanut with the D.O. and his interpreter» (Buchi Emecheta, 1977:
16). In the above quotation, the lexical item which expresses the metalingual
function is the verb «smiled». It is used here to give comfort to the
British and to communicate them a sense of friendliness.
On the hand, the facial expression `to smile' connotes the
meaning of shame as illustrated in the passage below:
Latter in the evening, when their house was being filled
with people who had come for a taste of the food and drinks before the actual
day of thanksgiving, and Ojebeta was busy handing drinks to this guest and
sliced cassava to that one, Clifford touched her gently on the arm. She stopped
and smiled at him shyly. She saw that he had been drinking, for the extra
brightness in his eyes betrayed him.
Actually, in the word expressing the metalingual function is
the verb «smiled». The denotation of this verb is utilized when the
addresser appears to be in a state of happiness or enjoying good fortune or
pleasure. But in the above example, it refers to shame since Ojebeta is in
front her master's son.
However, Buchi Emecheta explains facial expressions in a
written style. This can be observed in this quotation:
Okolie had to smile. His lips parted uncontrollably, and
he had to steel himself so as no to burst out into a roaring type of laughter.
He wiped away the tears of amusement that had sprung into his eyes. (Buchi
Emecheta, 1977: 48)
In the above utterances, it seems relevant to assert that this
passage is mainly composed of non-verbal communication. It comprises four
expressions which explain metalingual function: «to smile», «his
lips parted uncontrollably», «burst out of laughing» and
«wiped away the tears». In fact, «his lips parted
uncontrollably» is just the explanation of the first facial expression
«to smile»; «bust out of laughter» is Okolie's unintended
reflex, perhaps even an exposure of his emotions. And «wiped away of
tears» is the logical consequence of Okolie's elated state because they
express at he same time happiness and misfortune. Therefore, these expressions
are mixed up together to focus on the connotation of the verb «to
smile». So the function of these facial expressions is simply to express a
degree of emotions usually symbolized by excitement or joyful reactions
In short, since kinesics - the study of gestures - states that
body language depends on the ethnic groups or cultures, the metalingual can be
a source or cause of misunderstanding. Moreover Gestural language is used in a
given place and time. It seems evident that the non-verbal communication
encompasses limits about the range of expressions. It requires light while oral
speech can proceed in the dark and at some distance from the person being
addressed. The language functions finally results in conative function.
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