A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF BUSINESS CONVERSATIONS AMONG TRADERS AND BUYERS IN SELECTED MARKETS IN YENAGOA

Abstract

This research work is a sociolinguistic study of business conversations among traders and buyers in selected markets in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A total of 50 business persons, both male and female, are observed during business transactions to collect primary data from their conversations, while secondary data are obtained from textbooks, journals, and the internet. The observations are conducted at the Swali, Kpansia, Tombia, Agudama, and Igbogene markets in Yenagoa. The researcher uses a conversation analysis (CA) approach to interpret the data and such findings as the ones below are evident: Traders and buyers adopt conversation strategies such as the use of pleading, request, promise, explanation, repetition, code-alternation and questioning/answering bearing in mind factors such as purpose of the speech, setting and participants while choosing them during business transactions. Some sociolinguistic significance of the appropriate choice of conversation strategies by traders and buyers in Yenagoa is to create an environment for peaceful business transactions, prevent conflict/crises, and maximize profits. Equally evident in the study is that conversational participants are very aware of when, where, and how to organize, allocate, and take turns coherently. Again, features of adjacency pair structures such as question/answer, request/decision, offer/acceptance, pleading, and acceptance/consideration/rejection abound in business conversations. Turn allocations are observed to be through prosodic turns, yielding eye-gaze and hand signals by the current speaker, thus resulting in minimal overlapping of talk-turns. The researcher also recommends that traders and buyers should consider the setting, participants, and purpose of the talk while choosing a conversation strategy. It is also recommended that further studies be conducted on business conversations in formal settings.