GENDER, LANGUAGES AND VIOLENCE IN LOLA AKANDE’S WHAT IT TAKES

Abstract

This study examines one of the roles of language as a vehicle of the various genres of literature in communicating the activities of humanity. The various stripes of violence encoded by language use; verbal and even nonverbal in lecturers’ utterances and actions with Ph.D candidates in Lola Akande’s What It Takes that constitute psychological trauma that affects goal achievement are assessed and highlighted. The goal of this investigation is to assess the Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs) and Politeness Maxims violated and exploited in language use in the study text to expose gender violence that impedes academic accomplishments. Sixty samples of interactions chosen from the study text through stratified random sampling technique serve as data for examining the variables identified. The descriptive and qualitative research designs are deployed for the data analysis. An eclectic theoretical approach is adopted as insights are drawn from Goffman’s (1967) face work and Leech’s (1983) Politeness principle model to account for the various face-threatening as well as the violations of Politeness maxims. From the investigation, it is discovered that the lecturers' language uses are characterized by face-threatening acts effected on-record baldly to humiliate students. There are also highly marked violations of tact, agreement, sympathy and Pollyana Politeness maxims that constitute direct violence that cause mental trauma for students. It is concluded that all face-threatening acts and violations are discouraging and create unhealthy environment for the accomplishment of academic goals. Violation of space and nonverbal barriers by male lecturers are embarrassing and threatening impositions on female students who opt to abandon the programme than succumb. It is concluded from the study text that inappropriate linguistic and non-linguistic usages are forms of direct violence and face-threatening acts that can create mental challenges and low self-perception that can prevent candidates from accomplishing their academic goals. Altercations generate hateful lexemes that can demoralize and cause people to lose their face worths and accomplish poorly. Language programmes are for students. If lecturers’ language use verbal and non-verbal, should constitute obstacles for learners to continue their programmes, then, the desired enhancement and innovations would be fruitless.