A pragmatic analysis of the use of response tokens in Asante Twi

Abstract

Response tokens are important for people wishing to be able to function as supportive interlocutors in a conversation. There is the need for interlocutors to ensure that their interpretation of the speaker’s interactional intentions matches what he wanted to say (Faerch and Kasper, 1982). This thesis investigates the pragmatic analysis of the use of response tokens in Asante Twi. Specifically, the research focuses on the categories, and importance of response tokens among the Asantes. The study based its analytical framework upon Clancy et al.’s (1996), and other relevant analytic models. Data were analyzed from interviews, recorded conversations and diary notes. The findings revealed that speakers of Asante have two main types of response tokens: verbal and nonverbal. The components of verbal response tokens are minimal, non-minimal, cluster and laughter, while the nonverbal are body gestures such as head movements, hand gestures, facial expressions, foot movement and silence. The analysis revealed that the structure of some single words was interpreted as clauses. Again, others were found to be reduplicated, religious, and negative in sense used as response tokens for emphasis. Some of the functions of both verbal and nonverbal response tokens were backchannels, agreement, disagreement, and alignment. Based on the findings, it is argued that response tokens are very relevant in the conversations of speakers of Asante Twi. This is because it contributes to sustain the flow of conversation. It is recommended that further research should investigate whether cultural or gender issues have an effect on how people use response tokens.