Analysis of the Forms and Functions of Conversational Implicature in Dowry Negotiations among the Maragoli of Western Kenya

Abstract

This paper examines the Conversational Implicature (CI) evident in dowry negotiations among the Maragoli people of Western Kenya. The Maragoli is one of the sixteen Luhya subtribes in the Western Part of Kenya. The Maragoli, who speak Lulogooli language, form the dominant inhabitants of Vihiga County. The Maragoli community is steeped in traditional practices which control human relations and ways of life. One of the societal institutions that is controlled by tradition is marriage. The process of marriage among the Maragoli has several stages key among them is dowry negotiation which is the penultimate stage to a bride leaving her family to join another family through marriage. Dowry negotiation is a rigorous and often a delicate exercise that seeks to bind two families hence it is conducted in language that is meant to foster unity and understanding besides achieving the goal of a dowry settlement. Towards this end, participants in Maragoli dowry negotiations have mastered the art of indirectness in the use of Lulogooli language to achieve their purpose; the lexical items used and utterances made on this occasion have a hidden meaning. This study delves into this with specific focus on dowry negotiations in Sabatia Sub County in Vihiga County. The paper will analyze how CI manifested in Lulogooli, the forms of the CI and linguistic functions of performed by the CI.