
































Speech Style-Shifts in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

Lauretta Chinyeaka

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on the use of speech style shifts by interactants in dialogues.
Interlocutors engaged in verbal discourse employ different speech styles on different occasions.
This is largely informed by the fact that no one speaks in exactly the same way on all occasions.
Many factors inform these shifts such as the speaker, the addressee, the setting, the topic of
discourse and the purpose of discourse. Using Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, this
study seeks to identify the speech style shifts in the dialogues of the characters and the
motivations for the shifts .It also seeks to determine the way the shifts affected the relationships
between the characters as well as the power structures that are at play. To achieve these
objectives, eight sample excerpts purposively selected from the text were used as data while
ethnography of communication was used as the theoretical framework. Findings revealed that the
different speech style shifts identified were influenced mainly bythe situation and social distance.

Key words: speech styles, style-shifting, speech event, social distance, power

Introduction

There is usually a display of shifts in the style of speeches of characters engaged in dialogues in
written prose just as there are between interlocutors in face - to - face interactions on different
occasions. Shifts in speech style take place sometimes within the same conversation depending
on the degree of the attention to the clarity of the discourse. A shift in speaking may be as a
result of a change in the self-image that the speaker wishes to project, in the type of information
to be communicated, in the situation the interactants find themselves such as a noisy background,
arrival or departure of other individuals, the context of the dialogue and in the impression that
the speaker has about the listener, for instance where he has a hearing impediment. These shifts
depending on the occasion may be very formal, less formal or extremely formal and casual such
as when the relationship between the interlocutors is very close or when they belong to different
social classes. These shifts in style may be due to the speaker, the addressee, the age or the social
background of the addressee, the social background, social distance or the situation. When such
necessary adjustment in speech style are not made, it would attract social sanctions in formal
situations for instance or if the purpose is misconstrued by the interactants, problems such as
feelings of inferiority, contempt or avoidance may arise on the part of the interactants of lower
status while the one of higher status may exhibit an air of pride, arrogance or insult. In informal



interactions also, if such style shifts in speech are not applied or where they are not appreciated it
could mar relationships and also lead to breakdown in communication. This study seeks to
identify the speech style shifts in the speech styles of the characters in Purple Hibiscus, what the
motivation for the shifts are and how they affect the relationship between the characters. It
showcases the different applications of speech style-shifts and the speech situations and speech
events that informed the shift in the speech styles of the characters. To this end, the following
questions were raised: what are the speech style-shifts in the text? What are the motivations for
the speech style-shifts? How did they affect the relationship between the characters?

Synopsis of the Novel

Purple Hibiscus is the story of Kambili, a young girl of fifteen years growing up in Enugu in
Eastern Nigeria. Her father Eugene Achike is a strict Catholic adherent who rejects in its entirety
the heathen ways of his own father to the extent that he hardly takes care of him. He forbids his
children Kambili and Jaja from relating closely with him saying that he contaminate them with
heathenism. Their father is also a strict disciplinarian who metes out stiff disciplinary actions
against any member of his household who fails uphold his standards including his wife.

A visit to their father’s sister, Aunty Ifeoma and her children at Nsukka offers them the
opportunity to experience life differently. The form of Catholicism they practise is markedly
different from the one they are used to. Aunty Ifeoma encourages her own children to speak their
mind though guardedly. Kambili and Jaja become better able to voice their feelings. They also
get to relate with Father Amadi, a young priest who is very close to Aunty Ifeoma and her family.
Kambili finds that she is attracted to the priest.

While they are at Nsukka where Aunty Ifeoma is a senior lecturer in the university, the
students go on rampage against lack of water and electric light. Kambili and Jaja are still at
Nsukka when their aunty gets a distress call from a woman who is a neighbour to their
grandfather (Papa Nnukwu) living at Abba and she hurries to the village to bring him back to
Nsukka for medical treatment. The old man is nursed back to health but passes on while still
staying with them at Nsukka. Eugene, Kambili’s father learns of the demise and refuses to have
anything to do with the pagan burial though he finances it. Back home he subjects Kambili and
Jaja to physical torture because according to him they had slept in the same house with a heathen.

Meanwhile Ade Coker, an editorial staffof the Standard newspaper owned by Kambili’s
father gets killedwhen he opens an envelope with the State House seal allegedly for publishing
an offensive article he was warned not to publish. Soldiers also invade one of Kambili’s father’s
factories carrying dead rats in a carton and then closing the factory down saying the rats had
been found there and could spread diseases through the wafers and the biscuits he produced.



Unable to cope with the husband’s continuous violence on her and the children, Beatrice,
Kambili’s mother poisons her husband. Jaja takes over the blame for the crime and is remanded
in cell. Aunty Ifeoma and her children travel to America after her appointment with the
university is terminated. She is accused of complicity in the student’s unrest by the university
administration.The novel ends in an optimistic note. Kambili has turned out more confident in
her approach to life. Jaja is about to be released from prison after thirty-one months. He is
hardened but not broken by his experience there. Beatrice, their mother is beginning to recover
from psychological breakdown since after the death of her husband.

Conceptual Framework

Speech Styles

Yule (2010, p. 257) describes speech style as social feature of language use. Speech style
according to Martin Joos, an online source is the form of language that the speaker uses which is
characterized by the degree of formality. (Accessed 11:21 September12, 2020) Ezeifeka (2018,
p.136) asserts that they are linguistic options open to the speech community for particular events
and activity types. She notes that they include: varieties (High/Low, Standard/nonstandard,
dialects, register choices, formal/informal/casual etc.) and speech events where they are
appropriate – political, academic, folk literature, casual conversations; degrees of formality
within one standard language. In language use, speakers usually adopt different styles of
speaking. They can speak very formally or very informally depending on the circumstances.
Wardhaugh (2010,p.47) posits that ceremonial occasions usually require very formal speech;
public lectures somewhat less formal, casual conversations between intimate persons on matters
of little importance may be extremely informal and casual. According to him, the level of
formality chosen may be related to a variety of factors such as the kind of occasion, the various
social, age and other differences that exist between the interlocutors; the particular task that is
involved such as writing or speaking, the emotional involvement of one or more of the
participants. Holmes asserts that “language varies according to who is using it”.She notes that the
addressees and the context influence our choices of code or variety be it language, dialect or
style.

Joos identified the types of speech style as frozen style, formal style, consultative style,
casual style and intimate style. Frozen style according to him is the most formal communicative
style that is usually used during respectful events and ceremonies. It is also used when one shows
hesitation, disinterest or prejudice. Frozen speech is used generally in a formal setting, does not
require any feedback from the audience and is the most formal communicative style for
respectful situations. Intimate style is for very close relationships like couples, family, and best
friends. It is used in conversation between people who are very close and know each other quite
well because they have the maximum of shared background information. Formal speeches are
straightforward speeches. In this speech style, the speaker avoids using slang terminologies.
What the speaker says is something that has been prepared beforehand. Casual speech style is an



informal communication between groups and peers who have shared background information but
don’t have close relations while consultative speech style is used in semi-formal communication.
In this type speech sentences are shorter and spontaneous and the speaker does not usually plan
what he/she wants to say. A change from one to the other according to Yule (2010,p.257) is
called style-shifting.

Motivation for Shifts in Speech Style

Shifts in speech style are motivated by a number of factors such as speaker, addressee, age of
addressee, social background of addressee, social distance, the situation and the speech event.
Wardhaugh (2010, p. 47) avers that speakers can adopt different styles of speaking. He posits
that speaker’s speech can be very formal or informal depending on the circumstances.
Ceremonial occasions according to him, require very formal speech, public lectures somewhat
less formal, casual conversations quite formal while conversations between persons who are
intimate on matters of little importance may be extremely informal and casual. He notes that the
level of formality chosen may relate to a variety of factors. These factors include the kind of
occasion; the various social, age, and other differences that may exist between the participants;
the particular task that is involved such as writing or speaking; the emotional involvement of one
or more of the participants and so on.

Holmes (2013, p.240) asserts that an addressee is an influence on style. She gives two
examples to buttress her point thus:

a) Excuse me. Could I have a look at your photos too, Mrs Hall?

b) C’mon Tony, gizzalook

The first utterance according to her was addressed by a teenage boy to his friend’s mother
when she was showing the photos of their skiing holiday to an adult friend. The second utterance
was addressed to his friend when he brought his own photos of the holiday. She posits that the
better you know someone, the more casual and relaxed the speech style you will use on them.
People according to her use considerably more standard forms to those they do not know well,
and more vernacular forms to their friends. This generalization, according to her, holds across
different languages.

Holmes (2013, p. 241) also identified age of addressee as an influence on style. She notes
that people generally talk differently to children and adults though some adjust their speech style
or accommodate more than others. Talking to younger brothers and sisters, even 3-year-olds,
according to her, have been heard using sing-song intonation and ‘baby talk’ words like ‘doggie’
which they no longer use themselves. She observes that when talking or writing to a 6-year-old
as opposed to a 30-year-old, most people choose simpler vocabulary and grammatical
constructions. She adds that many speakers also use a different style in addressing elderly people,
often with features similar to those that characterize their speech to children. Such characteristics



according to her include a simpler range of vocabulary and less complex grammar, the use of
“we” rather than “you” to refer to the addressee and sometimes even the sing-song intonation
which characterizes baby-talk.

The social background of addressee was also identified by Holmes (2013, pp. 242-243)
as an influence on speech style.

She illustrates it thus:

a) Last week the British Prime Minister Mr. David

Cameron met the Australian Premier Ms. Julia Gillard in Canberra… their next meeting will not
be for several months

b) Las’ week British Minister David Cameron met Australian Premier

Julia Gillard in Canberra…Their nex’ meeting won’t be for several months

These utterances according to her, illustrates a number of linguistic features which
distinguish the pronunciations of newsreader on different radio stations. In (b) there is
simplification of consonant clusters, so [la:st]becomes [la:s] and [nekst]becomes [neks]. The
pronunciation of [t] between vowels is voiced so it sounds like a [d] hence meeting sounds like
meeding. The definite article ‘the’ is omitted before the titles Prime Minister and Premier and the
honorifics Mrs and Mr disappear. And finally utterance (b) contracts will nottowon’t. All these
features according to her have been identified as typical of the contrasting styles of newsreaders
on different New Zealand radio stations.

Holmes (2013,p. 240) observes that the speaker’s relationship to the addressee is crucial
in determining the appropriate style of speaking. She points out that “how well you know
someone or how close you feel to them – relative social distance/solidarity- is one important
dimension of social relationship”. Many factors according to her, may contribute in determining
the degree of social distance or solidarity between people such as relative age, gender, social
roles, whether people work together, or are part of the same family and so on. These factors she
notes may also be relevant to people’s relative social status.

Social distance according to an online dictionary is “the perceived or desired degree of
remoteness between a member of one social group and the members of another, as evidenced in
the level of intimacy tolerated between them.” It describes the distance between groups in
society and is opposed to locational distance. The notion includes differences such as social class,
race/ethnicity, gender or sexuality, and also the fact that the different groups mix less than
members of the same groups.

On situation as an influence on style, Hudson (2001,p. 199) notes that many of the studies
carried out have considered the effects on speech of variations in the situation. In two of such



instances he reports that Labov found out that shop assistants were more likely to pronounce the
/r/ in fourth floor when he asked them to repeat it and he also found that people spoke differently
in his interviews according to what they were talking about, and who they were talking to – their
speech became less standard when they were talking about situations where they were in danger
of dying than when talking about routine matters and it was less standard when talking to other
members of their family than when talking to him.

Speech events can influence style. Speech event according to Ezeifeka (2018, p.136) is
the basic unit of analysis in ethnography of speaking. She states that “it involves the particular
activity or aspect of the activity that are directly governed by rules or norms of the situation.”
Instances she gave are lecture, inaugural speech, vote of thanks, convocation speech, sermon,
welcome address etc. Coulthard (1977, p.39) notes that speech event occurs in a non-verbal
context which is the speech situation. He observes that speech events are the largest units for
which one can discover linguistic structures and so do not have the same pattern with the
situation. That is to say that several speech events can occur successively or simultaneously in
the same situation just as different conversations can take place in a party. Yule (2010, p. 145)
adds that in investigating what is known about participating in conversation or any other speech
event such as debate, interview and other various types of discussions, it is quickly realized that
there is enormous variation in what people say and do in different circumstances. He observes
that in order to describe the sources of that variation, account would be taken of a number of
criteria. For example, according to him, we would have to specify the roles of speaker and
hearer(s) and their relationship(s), whether they were friends, strangers, men, women, young, old,
of equal or unequal status, and many other factors. All these factors, he notes have an influence
on what is said and how it is said. We would have to describe what the topic of conversation was
and in what setting it took place.

Power structure is another influence on speech style. Pfetsch (2011) asserts that the
various forms of relations between the negotiation partners are power. A power structure is an
overall influence system of influence between any individual and other individuals within a
group. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines it as the way in which the groups
of people who control a country, society, or organization are organized. It comprises symmetrical
and asymmetrical relationships. Pfetsch (2011) avers that symmetrical relationships are
characterized by a balanced mutual relationship based on similar allocations of power resources.
Asymmetry according to him “is a structure one can find among most social and political
relations and in relations between unequal parties.” He further observes that it is a relationship
between the small and the great, the weak and the poor.” The unequal allocation of power
resources, he notes, can lead to a point when the most powerful party makes threats and exerts
pressure.

Theoretical Framework

Ethnography of Communication



Ethnography of Communication (EOC) formerly called Ethnography of Speaking, propounded
by Dell Hymes is the analysis of communication within the wider context of the social and
cultural practices and beliefs of the members of a particular culture or speech community. It is an
approach to discourse analysis that takes into account both the communicative form which may
include but is not limited to spoken language and its functions within the culture. The general
aim of this qualitative research method includes being able to identify the communicative acts
and /or codes that are important to different groups, the types of meanings that groups apply to
different communication events, and how group members learn these codes, in order to provide
insight into particular communities. The additional information derived may be used to enhance
communication with group members, make sense of group members’ decisions and distinguish
groups from one another among others.

Ethnography of communication was proposed by Dell Hymes as an approach to analyse
patterns of language use within speech communities with a view to providing support for his idea
of communicative competence which was reportedly a reaction to Noam Chomsky’s linguistic
competence and performance. Ethnography of communication is meant to describe the
characteristics that an approach towards language, from an anthropological standpoint, must take.

They are as posited by Dell Hymes outlined below:

1. Investigate directly the use of language in contexts of situations so as to discuss patterns
proper to speech activity.

2. Take as context a community, investigating its communicative habits as a whole. In order
words, rather than divorcing linguistic form from its function, the analysis of a culture’s
or community’s communication, linguistic and otherwise, must occur with respect to the
socio-cultural context of its use and the functions of the meaning conveyed.

Ethnography of communication in effect is concerned with the way a certain speech event
fits into a whole network of cultural beliefs and practices, describing things that are external to
talk itself: who the speakers are, where they are, what beliefs and customs are important to their
lives.

The stratifications in ethnography of communication according to Hymes (cited in Ezeifeka,
2018) are:

i) speech community

ii) speech style

iii) speech situation

iv) speech event

v) speech act



Speech community – This refers to a group of speakers who share both linguistic resources and
rules for interaction and interpretation.

Speech style – These are the linguistic options open to the speech community for particular
speech events and activity types. These include varieties (High/low, standard/nonstandard,
dialects, register choices, formal/informal/casual etc.) and speech events where they are
appropriate – political, academic, folk literature, casual conversations, degrees of formality
within one standard language.

Speech situation – This is the social occasion in which the speech may occur and it defines the
appropriateness of speaking, the context of the speech event.

Speech event – This is the basic unit of analysis in ethnography of speaking. It involves the
particular activity or aspect of activity that are directly governed by rules or norms of the speech
situation.

Speech acts – This involves ways in which particular speech communities perform certain
actions through speech, such as how thanking is done or requests are made in some speech
communities.

The Speaking Grid

In order to analyse speech events, Hymes proposed a classificatory grid for identifying and
defining a speech event which he argues can be useful in discovering the culturally relative
taxonomy of communicative units described above. He calls this the SPEAKING grid: each
letter representing a different possible component of communication.

S – Setting – (i) physical circumstances (ii) scene – subjective definition of

an occasion.

PParticipants(i)speaker/sender/addresser(ii)hearer/receiver/audience/addressee

E – Ends – purposes and goals/ outcomes

A – Act sequence – message form and content (discourse analysis), the

words used to inform, direct, promise, request, mandate, question,

invite, declare.

K – Key – tone, manner or spirit with which a particular message is

conveyed: satiric, Ironic, serious, light-hearted, joking, mocking,

sarcastic, pedantic, pompous, sad, happy etc.



I – Instrumentalities – channel (oral, written, signed, multimodal). This also

includes physical forms of speech drawn from community repertoire:

dialect, code, register and whether the speech is formal, informal, frozen,

consultative and intimate. Code-switching may also be relevant here.

N – Norms of interaction and interpretation: - specific properties attached to

speaking interpretation of norms within cultural belief system. There

are norms of greeting, addressing elders, cultural differences in

loudness, silence, gaze return, body posture when talking to elders,

comfortable conversational distance among strangers and among

friends.

G – Genre – Textual categories such as a lecture, sermon, vote of thanks,

convocation address, a market transaction, a political speech, a marriage

transaction, a welcome address and numerous such other genres. These

different genres are text types with their unique internal structures which

accord with different social goals. For instance, there is a difference

between how a lecture is structured as different from an inaugural

speech or a vote of thanks. Each has its own internal patterning and

schematic structures and this enables one to discover when the speaker

switches from one genre to another, like when somebody in a lecture is

asked to stop “sermonizing” in a situation where they digressed from

lecturing which is an academic genre to a religious genre.

Research Questions

1. What are the speech style shifts?

2. What are the motivations for the style shifts?

3. How did the style shifts affect the relationship among the characters?



4. What power structures are at work?

Methodology

The speech style-shifts in the selected literary text, chosen because of the ingenious language use
of the author are identified, the motivations for the style-shifts and the speech situations and
speech events that informed the shifts in the speech styles of the characters are highlighted and
subjected to Hymes SPEAKING grid. Eight sample excerpts of the speech style-shifts would be
used as data.

Data Presentation and Analysis

Excerpt 1

“How was your holiday, Kambili?” Ezinne leaned over and asked.

“Fine”.

“Did you travel abroad?”

“No.” I said. I didn’t know what else to say but I wanted Ezinne to know that I appreciated that
she was always nice to me even though I was awkward and tongue-tied. I wanted to say thank
you for not laughing at me and calling me a backyard snub the way the rest of the girls did, but
the words that came out were.

“Did you travel?’

Ezinne laughed. “Me? O di egwu. It’s people like you and Gabriella and Chinwe who travel,
people with rich parents. I just went to see my grandmother.”

“Oh,” I said. (p. 49)

The speech style shift as showcased in the expression “Me? O di egwu…” is from
intimate to casual. The speech situation /speech event that informed the shift in the in the speech
style of the character in the excerpt above is when Kambili asked her Ezinne, her classmate
whether she travelled abroad during the holidays when they resumed classes. The motivation for
the style shift was the situation. The interlocutors share the same linguistic background
characterized by code-mixing/code switching English and the vernacular.

Excerpt 2

“You know Eugene did not get along with Ifediora?” Aunty Ifeoma’s

whisper was back, fiercer, louder.

“Because Ifediora told him to his face what he felt.



Ifediorah was not afraid to tell the truth. But you know Eugene quarrels with that he does not like.

Our father is dying, did you hear me? Dying. He is an old man, how much longer does he
have, gbo? Yet Eugene will not let him into his house, will not even greet him. O joka! Eugene
has to stop doing God’s job. God is big enough to do his own job. If God will judge our father
for choosing to follow the way of our ancestors, then let God do the judging not Eugene.” (pp.
95-96)

speech style shift as reflected in the expression “Ojoka! Eugene has to stop doing God’s
job…” is from intimate to frozen style. The speech situation/speech event that informed the shift
in the speech of the character in the above excerpt is when Aunty Ifeoma was complaining to
Kambili’s mother about Eugene, Kambili’s father’s behaviour towards their heathen father. She
complained that Eugene, not minding that their father was an old man with few more years to
live yet will not let him into his house nor even greet him. The motivation for the style shift was
the situation. The interactants share the same linguistic background characterized by code-
mixing/code switching English and the vernacular.

Excerpt 3

“Papa Nnukwu is sick?” Amaka asked shrilly.

“Mom, when did you know?”

“This morning, his neighbor called. She is a good woman, Nwamgba, she went all the way to
Ukpo to find a phone.”

“You should have told us!” Amaka shouted.

O gini? Have I not told you now? Aunty Ifeoma snapped. (pp. 147-148)

The shift style as showcased in the expression “O gini? Have I not told you now? is from
intimate to casual style. The speech situation/speech event that informed the shift in the speech
style of the character was when Amaka’s mother informed her that Papa Nnukwu, her
grandfather was sick. She askedher when she got the information and that she should have told
them earlier. This made her mother angry. The motivation for the the speech style shift was the
situation and the setting. Apart from the fact that it was a home setting, the interlocutors also
shared the same linguistic background characterized by code-mixing and code switching English
and the vernacular.

Excerpt 4

“Eugene, our father has fallen asleep.” Aunty Ifeoma said.

Papa stared at her for a while, surprise widening the narrow eyes that so easily became red-
spotted.



“When?”

“This morning, in his sleep, they took him to the mortuary just hours ago.”

“Did you call a priestto give him extreme unction?” he asked.

Aunty Ifeoma ignored him and continued to look at her at her hands, folded in her lap.

“Ifeoma, did you call a priest?” Papa asked.

“Is that all you can say, eh , Eugene? Have you nothing else to say, gbo? Our father has died!
Has your head turned upside down? Will you not help me bury our father?”

“I cannot participate in a pagan funeral, but we can discuss with the parish priest and arrange a
Catholic funeral.”Aunty Ifeoma got up and started to shout. I will put up my dead husband’s
grave for sale, Eugene, before I give our father a Catholic funeral. Did you hear me? I say I will
sell Ifediorah’s grave first. Was our father a Catholic? I ask you Eugene, was he a Catholic?
Uchugbagi! Aunty Ifeoma snapped her fingers at Papa; she was throwing a curse at him. (pp.
186-187)

The speech style shift reflected in the expression Uchugbagi! is from intimate style to
frozen style. The speech situation/speech event that informed the shift in the speech style of the
character in the excerpt above was when Aunty Ifeoma and Eugene were discussingthe death and
burial of their late father. Eugene recommended a Catholic burial for their heathen father because
he did not want to participate in a pagan burial. His sister, Aunty Ifeoma vehemently opposed the
idea. The motivation for the shift in speech style was the situation. Both characters were siblings
who shared the same linguistic background that were characterized by code-mixing/ code
switching English and the vernacular.

Excerpt 5

“They are telling Mom to shut up” Amaka said.

“Shut up if you don’t want to lose your job

because you can be fired fiam just like that.”

Amaka snapped her finger to show how fast

“Aunty Ifeoma could be fired.”

“They should fire her, eh, so we can go to America,” Obiora said.

“Mechieonu,” Amaka said.



“America?” I looked from Amaka to Obiora.

Aunty Phillipa is asking Mom to come over. (pp. 218-219)

The shift style shift as showcased in the expression “Mechieonu” is from intimate style to
casual style. The speech situation /speech event that informed the shift in the speech style of the
character in the excerpt was when Amaka was recounting the experience their mother who is a
lecturer in the university had as a result of the aftermath of students’ unrest. The administration
threatened to sack her if she did not shut her mouth about the incident.Obiora, her younger
brother preferred that she be fired so that they can go to America to the chagrin of Amaka. The
motivation for the shift in speech style was the setting and the situation. The interlocutors were
siblings and so shared the same linguistic background characterized by code-mixing /code
mixing the English language and the vernacular (Igbo).

Excerpt 6

“Who sent you here?” Aunty Amaka asked.

“We are from special security unit in Port Harcourt.”

“Do you have any papers to show me? You cannot just walk into my house”

“Look at this yeye woman oh! I said we are from the Special Security Unit! …”

“How you go come enter like dis? Wetin be dis?

Obiora said, rising, the fear in his eyes not quite shielded by the brazen manliness in his Pidgin
English.” Obiora, nodu ani,” Aunty Ifeoma quietly said, and Obiora sat down quickly. (p. 225)

The shift style shift reflected in the expression “Look at this yeye woman oh!” is from
consultative to frozen. The speech situation /speech event that informed the shift in the speech
style in the character in the excerpt was when the men from the State Security Unit invaded
Aunty Amaka’s home to carry out a search following the allegation of her involvement in the
university students’ unrest. The motivation for the shift in speech style was the situation
(linguistic) Pidgin is a lingua franca in Nigeria and so it is a common code especially among
those residing in big cities. The men from the State Security Unit used it to address Aunty
Ifeoma. The second speech style shift showcased in Aunty Ifeoma’s speech directed to her son in
the vernacular which was from consultative to intimate was possibly meant to serve as a private
instruction to her son because of the speech situation. The men from the State Security Unit
obviously do not share the same vernacular code and so they were excluded.

Excerpt 7

Who will teach Amaka and Obiora in the university?



The educated ones leave, the ones with the potential to right the wrongs. They leave the weak
behind. The tyrants continue to reign because the weak cannot resist. Do you not see that it is a
cycle? Who will break that cycle?”

“That is simply unrealistic pep-rally nonsense, Aunty Chiaku,” Obiora said.

I saw the tension fall from the sky and envelope us all.

A child’s cry upstairs interrupted the silence.

“Go into my room and wait for me, Obiora,” Aunty Ifeoma said.

Obiora stood up and left. He looked grave as if he had only just realized what he had
done… Her friend left soon afterwards. Aunty Ifeoma stormed inside, nearly knocking a
lamp over. I heard the thud of a slap and then her raised voice. “I do not quarrel with you
disagreeing with my friend. I quarrel with how you disagreed. I do not raise disrespectful
children in this house, do you hear me? You are not the only child who has skipped a
class in school. I will not tolerate this rubbish from you! I na-anu?” She lowered her
voice then I heard the click of her bedroom door closing. (pp.239-240)

The speech style shift as reflected in the expression “I will not tolerate this rubbish from
you! I na-anu?” is from consultative to intimate style. The speech situation/speech event that
informed the shift was when Obiora, Aunty Ifeoma’s son made a rude remark concerning Aunty
Chiaku’s effort to dissuade his mother from her plans to travel abroad. The motivation for the
style shift was the setting and the situation. Being mother and child, they shared the same
linguistic code characterized by code-mixing and code switching English and the vernacular
apart from the fact it was a home setting.

Excerpt 8

Aunty Ifeoma looked up from the forms she was going through.

“Amaka, ngwa , pick up a name and let FatherAmadigo and do his work.”

“But what’s the point then?” Amaka said to Father Amadi, as if she had not heard her mother.

What the church is saying is that only an English name will make confirmation valid.
‘Chiamaka’ saysGod is beautiful. ‘Chima’ says God knows best, ‘Chiebuka’ says God is the
greatest. Don’t they glorify God as much as ‘Paul’ and ‘Peter’ and ‘Simon’?”

Aunty Ifeoma was getting annoyed; I knew by her raised voice, her snappy tone.

“O gini?” you don’t have to prove a senseless point here!

“Just do it and get confirmed, nobody says you have to use the name!”



But Amaka refused.

“Ekwerom,” she said to Aunty Ifeoma, I do not agree.

Then she walked into her room and turned on the music very loud until Aunty Ifeoma knocked
on the door and shouted that Amaka was asking for a slap if she did not turn it down right away.
(pp.266-267)

The speech style shift showcased in the expression “O gini? You don’t have to prove a
senseless point here” is from intimate to casual style. The speech situation/speech event that
informed the shift in the speech style was when Amaka was delaying in choosing an English
name for her confirmation as required by the Catholic Church. She argued that Igbo names were
as good as English ones. The motivation for the style shift was the setting and the situation. The
interlocutors shared the same linguistic background characterized by code-mixing and code
switching, being mother and child. The second speech style shift reflected in the expression
“‘Ekwerom,’ she said to Aunty Ifeoma, I do not agree” is also from intimate to casual with a
similar motivation.

Applying the SPEAKING grid, we represent the speech events as follows:

Excerpt 1

S=Setting: an interaction between Kambili, the protagonist and her class mate, Ezinne when they
resumed classes after their holidays.

P=Participant: Kambili and Ezinne

E= Ends: The goal of the interaction is finding out where each of them travelled to during the
holidays.

A=Act sequence: Questioning and informing

K=Key: Light-hearted

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation

G=Genre: Friend – friend interaction

Excerpt 2

S=Setting: The interaction between Kambili’s mother and Aunty Ifeoma, Kambili’s paternal
auntywhen the two were discussing about Kambili’s father, Eugene in the former’s bedroom.

P=Participants: Kambili’s mother and Aunty Ifeoma



K=Key: serious, sad

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: The interaction is usually on a friendly note.

G=Genre: Sisters – laws’ interaction

Excerpt 3

S=Setting: The interaction between Aunty Ifeoma and her daughter, Amaka\

P=Participants: Aunty Ifeoma and her daughter, Amaka

E=Ends: The goal of the interaction is the reported sickness of Papa –Nnukwu, Amaka’s
grandfather.

A=Act sequence: Informing, questioning

K=Key: Serious, sad

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: Parent – child interaction

Excerpt 4

S=Setting: The interaction between Eugene Achike, Kambili’s father and his sister, Aunty
Ifeoma when they were the discussing the death and burial arrangement of their late father.

P=Participants: Eugene Achike’s father and his sister, Aunty Ifeoma

E=Ends: The goal of the interaction is settling of issues concerning the burial of their late father

A=Act sequence: Informing, questioning and declaring

K=Key: Serious, sad

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: The interaction is usually intimate.

G=Genre: Brother-sister interaction

Excerpt 5

S=Setting: The interaction between Amaka, Obiora and Kambili when they were discussing the
recent development in the university where Aunty Ifeoma, their mother is a lecturer.



P=Participants: Amaka, Obiorah and Kambili

E=Ends: The goal of the interactionis the threat by th university admimistratonon Aunty
Ifeoma’s appointment.

A=Act sequence: Informing, asserting and reprimanding

K=Key: Serious, pompous

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: The interaction is usually friendly.

G=Genre: Cousin’s interaction

Excerpt 6

S=Setting: The interaction involving Aunty Ifeoma, herso, Obioraand men from the Special
Security Unit when they came to search her house following the university students riot and her
alleged involvement.

P=Participants: Aunty Ifeoma, her son, Obiora and men from the Special Security Unit

E=Ends: The goal of the interaction is the search of Aunty Ifeoma’s house by men of the Special
Security Unit.

A=Act sequence: Questioning, informing, and directing

K=Key: Serious, pompous

I= Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: The interaction is usually done in Standard English.

G=Genre: Security officials-defendant’s interaction

Excerpt 7

S=Setting: The interaction involving Aunty Ifeoma, her friend, AuntyChiaku and her son, Obiora
when Obiora made a rude remark in the discussion the two women were engaged in.

P=Participants: Aunty Ifeoma, her friend, Aunty Chiaku and Aunty Ifeoma’s son Obiora

E=Ends: The goal of the interaction is the bid by Aunty Chiaku to dissuade Aunty Ifeoma from
resigning from her job and travelling to America.



A=Act sequence: Questioning, declaring and reprimand

K=Key: serious

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norms of interaction and interpretation: The interaction is friendly.

G=Genre: Friend-friend interaction

Excerpt 8

S=Setting: The interaction involving Amaka, her mother, Aunty Ifeoma and Father Amadi,
Catholic priest and a friend to the family when they were trying to convince Amaka to choose an
English name for her confirmation.

P=Participants: Amaka, her mother, Aunty Ifeoma and Father Amadi

E=Ends: The goal of the interaction is the bid to convince Amaka to choose an English name for
her confirmation.

A=Act sequence: Questioning, directing, and declaring

K=Key: Serious, mocking

I=Instrumentalities: The interaction is oral.

N=Norm of interaction and interpretation: Parents give instruction and children comply.

G=Genre: Parent-child interaction

Discussion

In excerpt 1, Kambili’s inquiry from Ezinne, her class mate on whether she travelled abroad for
her holidays when they met on resumption of classes was what motivated the speech style shift
from intimate to casual style. The style shift may have made Kambili more uneasy in relating
with her friend as she was already undergoing emotional tension and was eager to please her.
Symmetrical power relation is in force here as they were class mates.

In excerpt 2, Eugene, Kambili’s father’s antagonistic attitude towards his aged heathen
father who Aunty Ifeoma, sister alleged that he would not welcomeinto his house nor even greet
him was what motivated the speech style shift from intimate to frozen style. On this style of
speaking, Holmes (2013,p.240) avers that “the speaker’s relationship to the addressee is crucial



in determining the appropriate style of speaking” She observes that “how well you know
someone or how close you feel to them … is one important dimension of social relationship.”
The style shift may have more increased the strain in their relationship as siblings over the matter
especially as she further charged him to stop playing the role of a judge over their father which
God was big enough to play. Symmetrical power relation is in force here which according to
Pfetsch (2011), “is characterized by a balanced mutual relationship based on similar allocations
of power resources.”

In excerpt 3, Amaka’s loud expression of her displeasure at her mother’s failure to inform
them earlier of their grandfather’s illness motivated the speech style shift from intimate to casual
style. Apparently Amaka was very fond of her grandfather. More so, she and her brother, Obiora
were raised in a home where freedom of expression was encouraged quite unlike Kambili’s own
home. Wardhaugh (2010, p. 47) posits that “…conversations between persons who are intimate
on matters of little importance maybe extremely informal or casual.” The shift may have better
heightened her annoyance at her daughter.

In excerpt 4, Aunty Ifeoma’s indignation at her brother, Eugene’s proposal of a Catholic
funeral for their latefatherwho was a notable heathen motivated the speech style shift from
intimate to frozen style. On beinginformed earlier on of the death of their heathen father,
Eugene’s first response was whether she called a priest. He then went on to announce that he
cannot participate in a pagan funeral but that they can arrange a Catholic burial to the chagrin of
his sister. The style shift heightened rift in their relationship as Aunty Ifeoma threw a curse at
him. Being members of the same family, symmetrical power relation is in force here.

In excerpt 5, Amaka’s recounting of their mother’s ugly experience with the university
administration that threatened to sack her mother if she did not shut her mouth aboutthe incident
and the younger brother’s sudden outburst that they should sack her so that they can go to
America motivated the speech style shift from intimate to casual style. Apparently her brother’s
disposition on the issue contradicted her graver outlook. Being his elder sister, the speech style
shift may have helped in calling Obiora to order. According to Yule (2010,p. 145) … the roles of
speaker and hearer(s) and their relationship(s), whether they were friends, strangers, men, young ,
old, of equal or unequal status… all have an influence on what is said and how it is said.”
Asymmetrical power relation is in force here.

In excerpt 6, Aunty Ifeoma’s demand of the men from the Special Security Unit to show
her their search warrant when they announced their mission to search her house motivated the
first speech style shift from consultative to frozen. The speech style shift may have instilled a
sense of fear in Aunty Ifeoma especially as the very man that addressed her simultaneously
pushed her aside. Asymmetrical power relation is in force here which depicts social distance.
Pfetsch (2) notes that that asymmetry “is a structure one can find among most social and political
relations and in relations between unequal parties” The unequal allocation of power resources
according to him “can lead to a point when the most powerful party makes threats and exerts



pressure.” The second speech style shift which was from consultative to intimate was motivated
by Aunty Ifeoma’s fear of a possible assault on her son by the security men when he made an
attempt at confronting them in a show of manliness. The shift in speech style which was done in
the vernacular was possibly intended to serve as a private code to her son since the men
obviously belonged to a different tribe. The style shift sent the message across to the son because
he sat down quickly. Asymmetrical power relation is also in force here.

In excerpt 7, Obiora’s rude interruption into the discussion between Aunty Ifeoma and
her friend, Aunty Chiakumotivated the speech style shift from consultative to intimate style.
Aunty Chiaku’s bid to dissuade his mother from resigning from her job and travelling to
America met with stiff opposition from Obiora who was possibly nursing hopes of his family
travelling abroad. Again, the discussion took place in his home. Yule (2010,p.145) notes that
“there is an enormous variation in what people say and do in in different circumstances” He
points out that in order to describe the sources of that variationa description of what the topic of
conversation was and the setting it took place should be made. The home setting also explains
his mother’s disciplinary measures to arrest the situation. The style shift may have better driven
her rebuke home to her son. Asymmetrical power relation is in force here.

In excerpt 8, Amaka’s reluctance to choose an English name for confirmation motivated
the first speech style shift from intimate to casual. She argued that Igbo names glorify God as
much as English names. The style shift may have helped to establish her mother’s position on
the matter as she obviously expected her obedience. The second style shift from intimate to
casualwas motivated by Aunty Ifeoma’s insistence on Amaka’s compliance stating that she did
not have to use the name. The style shift must have strained the mother-daughter relationship
between them as she flouted her instruction. Asymmetrical power should be reflected here
though it was truncated by Amaka’s obstinacy.

From the above discussion, it is evident that language is dynamic. The different speech
events thus informed the shifts in speech style from intimate to casual, intimate to frozen,
intimate to casual, intimate to frozen, intimate to casual, consultative tointimate, intimate to
casual and intimate to casual respectively. The different speech style shifts identified were
influenced mainly by speaker’s relationship to the addressee, the setting and social distance. The
shifts also depict more of asymmetrical power relations between the different characters than
symmetrical.

References
Adichie. C. N.(2006).Purple Hibiscus. Lagos: Farafina.

Coulthard, M. (1977).An introduction to discourse analysis concepts. Essex: Longman Group
Limited.

Ezeifeka, C. (2018).Discourse analysis: Concepts and approaches.Awka: Patrobas.



Holmes,J. (2013). An introduction to sociolinguistics.(4thed.). New York:Routledge.

Hudson, R. (2001). Sociolinguistics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.

Joos, M. Online dictionary. https://elcombus.com

Pfetsch, F.R.(2011). Power in influential negotiations: symmetry and asymmetry DAN
NEGOCIATIONS. 2 (16) pp. 39-56 Retrieved from https://ww.cairn.info/reveu -
negotiations-2011-2 page-39.htm on 3 October, 2020

Wardhaugh, R. (2010). An introduction to sociolinguistics (6th ed.). WestSussex: Wiley-
Blackwell.

Yule, G. (2010). The study of language (4thed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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