Rapport management strategies among the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract This paper investigates the rapport management strategies among the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria using Spencer-Oatey’s rapport management model. The authors relied on participant observation and overheard conversations in writing the paper. They are effectively equipped to write the work because they were born and bred in Yorubaland, hence, they are able to watch all the rapport management strategies at all relevant levels. Our findings reveal that five major rapport strategies are in operation in Yorubaland which are: use of selected nominal address forms by housewives to address family members; acknowledging the sociality rights and obligations of elders in-council by the king/chief; paying homage to elders by younger interlocutors before rendering proverbs; using indirectness and statement of consideration when interacting with elders on some issues; and lastly, proper deployment of non-verbal communication.