Sesotho figurative language

Ineffective conversational strategy in commissions of enquiry

Bibliographic Data

ID21757320
AuthorsMampoi Irene Mabena (0000-0003-1651-0833, University of the Free State, corresponding author), Konosoang Sobane (0000-0003-4294-3085, Human Sciences Research Council)
Year2022
Volume40
Issue4
Pages456-468
Publication date2022-10-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSouthern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1607-3614 • E-ISSN: 1727-9461
PublisherNational Inquiry Services Center (NISC) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2989/16073614.2022.2077225
OpenAlexW4297990822
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited7

Commissions of enquiry have become a common platform for establishing facts where there have been disputes. They are often established to unpack the facts that would have led to controversies and make recommendations for solutions to such conflicts. Language then becomes an essential tool that facilitates extracting information that helps the commission to get to the truth and make informed recommendations. This article critically analyses the role played by Sesotho figurative language in the Leon and Phumaphi commissions of enquiry in Lesotho. This is a non-intrusive study that relied on audio recordings that were made during the enquiries. The article argues that figurative language was a conversationally ineffective communicative strategy that withheld information from the commissioners who were not speakers of Sesotho, the home language for the majority of participants who testified before the commissions. In the end, the implications of the study for transforming conversational events in commissions of enquiry are discussed

Commission · Linguistics · Literal and figurative language · Political science · Sociology · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Law · Philosophy · Psychology

Tools

Open DOI