SEXUAL DISCOURSE AMONG STUDENTS IN SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA BY Olawunmi Omolara ONI B.A English (LASU), M.A English (Language) (Ibadan) A Thesis in the Department of English Submitted to the Faculty of Arts In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Of the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN OCTOBER, 2012 CERTIFICATION I certify that this work was carried out by Miss O.O Oni in the Department of English, University of Ibadan …………………………. Supervisor S.A. Odebunmi, B.A., M.A (Ilorin), Ph.D. (Ife) Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria ii DEDICATION I dedicate this work to God Almighty – the author and finisher of my faith. And To all those who believe that those who work hard must excel. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the Lord of host for seeing me through this programme. Everything came through the moment HE intervened. I am highly indebted to my supervisor – Dr Akin Odebunmi. He gave me a completely different perspective to carrying out research. His „categorisation‟ method of data analysis, though tedious, has really helped in the analysis chapter. His criticisms and many suggestions made this thesis what it is. It is indeed a rare privilege to be tutored by a true Pragmatician. I thank Dr Adegbesan (Department of Education) for his assistance during the drafting of the questionnaire and the pre-test. I also acknowledge Mr Odewunmi – the statistician and analyst who provided the tools for the analysis and interpretation of the quantitative analysis of this thesis. Lecturers at the Department of English University of Ibadan have been really helpful in making my academic journey worth the while: the ever accessible HOD –Prof Remi-Raji – I appreciate your great and humble personality. I thank Prof. Oyeleye for his fatherly encouragements –even at the departmental corridors. Prof Wale Adegbite – you are indeed a great teacher. The few interactions I had with you during your sabbatical at the department cannot be quantified. Other members of the University of Ibadan „English family‟ that have been good to me in one way or the other include: Drs Oriaku, Ogunsiji, Omobowale, Jegede, Akinjobi, Oha, Adeyanju , Kehinde and Sunday. Members of Staff of the Department of English, Lagos State University were also encouraging: Dr Mrs Bello (my departmental sister) was always there when I needed her. Aunty Lola (Dr Ladele)- thanks for being a good friend in need and in deed. I appreciate the Departmental Head, Dr Osoba, for his accommodating and fatherly role during my critical period. I also thank Dr Hunjo –my brother - for his kind words, Drs Mbisike, Ogunlewe, Ayodele, Uncle Steve(Dr Ogunpitan), Prince Adedoyin, Olorunleke and Prof. Fakoya . Members of my family deserve a wholesome praise! Oni Ayoola, Olagoke, Seun, Doyin Ariyo, Lanre , Ade and Lekan. You all are wonderful people. I also appreciate the support of Olanrewaju and Gbolahan Oluwa. My sister in law – Mrs. M.O Yusuf – thanks for the encouragement and our many trips. My dear sister, Adedunmola Bankole, deserves a special praise- how can I thank you for all you have done. I appreciate you for taking care of my wonderful Fayo on her 7th year birthday when I had to be in Ibadan struggling it out with analysis! Lekan Bankole- my good brother- thanks for always urging me on. My golden mum (Mrs Abigail)- you are one in a million! You took my precious Fayo and nurtured her from four months till I finished my PhD! You taught her all that she knew. You made sure she appeared well dressed to school and she even got an award for being the neatest iv girl in her nursery class and the best behaved girl in Primary Two – all to your credit! Surely, I cannot thank you enough. I also appreciate my wonderful dad for teaching Fayo the essentials of Yoruba language and culture while I was away studying English! Many thanks too for your prayers. My mother in law was also understanding and prayerful. Many thanks for everything. “Orez mi!”- Bola Alofe, thanks for being a good friend. You kept me on my toes and told me to keep the hope alive at a point when I got tired of the waiting and anxiety period. I appreciate your assistance in editing part of the work at a time when you were a bit under the weather – only a few friends would do this! I also appreciate all my friends – Funke Oni, Yinka Ariyo- Gbago, Taiwo Ayanbadejo, Orimoloye Funso, Anita and Mrs Adekanbi. I thank Mr and Mrs Ojo for their accommodating spirit. House 18 was really a blessing when power system was terrible at the University of Ibadan. The critical parts of my analysis and editing were achieved during my stay at 18! I thank the Lagos State University for the support I got for the period of the programme. Finally, I want to thank my lovely daughter- OluwaFayokunolami, for her understanding and absolute cooperation at all times. Now, mummy is going to be at your beck and call! I also owe a lot of gratitude to my partner in the race - Prince Buraimoh Bolarinwa for giving me wings to fly at all times. The way you egged me on makes me afraid, sometimes, but you always made me to know that it was all for my good. As always, you are right again- we made it! I think most career women need more of your kind to make the world a better place. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Title Page i Certification ii Dedication iii Acknowledgements iv Table of contents vi List of tables xiii List of figures xiv Abbreviation xv Transcription Notations xvi Analytical Convention xvii Abstract xviii CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL PRELIMINARIES 1.1 Preamble 1 1.2 Background to the study 2 1.3 Sex, sexuality and gender 5 1.4 Language, interaction formats and sexual discourse 8 1.5 The concept of sexual discourse 12 1.6 Sexual metaphors and assumptions 14 1.7 Relationship between language and culture 16 1.8 Statement of the problem 19 1.9 Research questions 19 1.9.1 Research hypotheses 20 1.10 Aim and objectives of the study 20 vi 1.11 Significance of the study 21 1.12 Scope of the study 22 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Introduction 23 2.2 History and scope of pragmatics 23 2.3 Pragmatics 24 2.4 Implicature 28 2.5 Common ground 32 2.6 Presupposition 34 2.7 Indexicality 36 2.8 Context 37 2.8.1 Mey‟s (2001) theory of pragmeme 40 2.8.2 Odebunmi‟s (2006) Contextual beliefs model 46 2. 9 Conceptual metaphor theory 50 2.10 Conversation analysis 53 2.10.1 Floor and turn taking 54 2.10.2 Overlaps 54 2.10.3 Back channels 55 2.11 Review of related literature 55 2.11.1 The youth socio-cultural space 55 2.11.2 Postmodernism and the youth (sub) culture 57 2.11.3 Previous studies on youth discourse. 58 2.11.4 Previous studies on linguistic taboos 60 2.11.5 Previous studies on sexual discourse 62 vii CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction 67 3.2 Research design 67 3.2.1 Instrumentation 68 3.2.2 Data collection techniques 68 3.2.2.1 Questionnaire 68 3.2.2.2 Participant observation 69 3.2.2.3 Focus group discussions 69 3.2.2.4 Structured interviews 70 3.2.2.5 Recorded conversations 70 3.2.2.6 Sampling procedure 74 3.3 Data analysis 74 3.4 Validity and reliability 74 3.5 Analytical model 77 CHAPTER FOUR: DISCOURSE FORMS AND CONTEXTUAL FEATURES IN TISSD 4.1 Introduction 84 4.2 Discourse forms in TISSD 84 4.2.1 Plain Euphemisms 84 4.2.1.1 Sound- indicative euphemism 84 4.2.1.2 Sense - indicative euphemism 91 4.2.2 Metaphor in TISSD 93 4.2.2.1 Euphemistic metaphors in TISSD 96 4.2.2.1.1.1 Food / fruit as source domain for sexual organs 98 4.2.2.1.1.2 Fruits as source domain for sexual organs 98 4.2.2.1.1.3 Fruits as source domain for sexual act 98 4.2.2.1.1.4 Food as source domain for sexual organ 99 viii 4.2.2.1.2 Security as source domain for sexual organs 99 4.2.2.1.3 Mysticism as a source domain for sexual organs 100 Comment [S1]: Cross check to be sure that the lower and upper cases are correctly used. 4.2.2.1.4 Leisure activity as source domain for sexual act 100 4.2.2.1.5 Journey as source domain for sexual act 102 4.2.2.2 Dysphemistic Metaphors in TISSD 104 4.2.2.2.1 Military weapons as source domain for sexual organs 106 4.2.2.2.2 Carpentry tool as a dysphemistic metaphor for the penis and sexual act 110 4.2.2.2.3 Food/meat as dysphemistic metaphor for sexual organ 111 4.2.2.2.4 Everyday language as dysphemistic metaphor for sexual act and sexual organs 112 4.2.2.3 Slangy Metaphors in TISSD 113 4.2.2.3.1 Loan words 113 4.2.2.3.1.1 Loan words for sexual organs 113 4.2.2.3.1.2 Loan words for sexual act 115 4.2.2.3.1.3 Loan words for sexual partners 116 4.2.2.3.2 Coinage 117 4.2.2.3.2.1 Existing words used differently 117 4.2.2.3.2.2 Analogical mapping 118 4.2.2.3.3 Blending 120 4.3 Contextual Features of TISSD 127 4.3.1 Shared Cultural Knowledge 127 4.3.1.1 Shared knowledge of culture-tainted slang 127 4.3.1.1.1 Shared knowledge of macro-related slang 128 4.3.1.1.2 Shared knowledge of micro-culture related slang 132 4.3.1.1.2.1 Indigenous language expressions 132 ix 4.3.1.1.2.2 Blending of foreign and indigenous language words 133 4.3.1.1.2.3 Foreign language words used differently 134 4.3.1.1.2.4 Shared knowledge of indexicals 136 4.3.2 Shared situational knowledge 138 4.3.2.1 Coinage and slang words as situation- bound interactional indices 138 4.3.2.2 Contextual ellipsis 140 4.3.2.3 Indexicals 141 4.3.3 Shared experiential knowledge 142 4.3.3.1 Shared personal co-experiential Knowledge 142 4.3.3.1.1 Use of discourse particles 143 4.3.3.1.2 Use of anticipatory completion 144 4.3.3.2 Shared extrapersonal co-experiential knowledge 145 4.3.3.2.1 SEK in the use of linguistic and cognitive mapping 146 CHAPTER FIVE : PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS/PRACTS IN TISSD DISCOURSE Comment [S2]: What is the heading for this? 5.1 Introduction 150 5.2 Pract of informing in TISSD 153 5.2.1 Pract of informing: sexual activity 153 5.2.2 Sharing experiences: sex style 153 5.2.3 Sharing experiences: sexual intercourse 156 5.2.4 Describing sexual organs 158 5.2.5 Describing sexual acts 160 Comment [S3]: If there are more than one act in each case above, change “act” to “acts”.